The state of Ohio has announced that it will be downsizing its fleet vehicles — in terms of size, not numbers — in an effort to save money and reduce its carbon footprint on the world. The new plan will see the state replacing many of its mid-size sedans with compact sedans.
The new plan is expected to save Ohio tax payers $242,000 in the first year. The saving will come from a lower purchasing cost, as well as savings at the pump.
Right now, much of the state’s fleet consists of Chevrolet Impala s, which cost about $16,000 and get 21 mpg. Ohio plans to shift to the Ford Focus, which costs about $12,000 and gets 29 mpg.
“It says we’re living within our means and not sending one employee out in a midsize vehicle that could carry four or five,” Department of Administrative Services Director Hugh Quill told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “And if we’re thinking green and thinking about our use of fossil fuel, the first thing we should be doing is focusing on fuel efficiency right out of the box.”
Compact vehicles only make up about 6% of Ohio’s current fleet, a number that is expected to grow to more than 50% in the coming years.
As the Cleveland Plain Dealer put it, “tooling across town on your way to pick up the quarterly reports just got a little less sweet and a lot more practical.”
