City of Richmond awarded coveted “Green Fleet” Platinum certification - again
12 October 2022
The City of Richmond is cleaning up when it comes to its vehicle fleet management, having again been named as the only municipal recipient of a Platinum Rating by the national E3 Fleet program.
E3 Fleet is a program that assists trucking, utility, urban delivery, courier, government and other fleets to improve their fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, manage expenses and incorporate new technologies. In place since 2006 but still a unique program, E3 Fleet offers organizations the opportunity to receive Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum ratings based on fleet performance.
Richmond is the only municipality in Canada to receive the Platinum rating with a performance score of 98 points out of 100. This is the second time the City has received coveted Platinum status. The City was first certified Platinum in 2016.
“This certification demonstrates once again how Richmond is a leader in sustainability through its daily operations such as fleet vehicle management,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “The City’s Green Fleet Action Plan is aligned with the Community Energy and Emissions Plan 2050, and brings tremendous community benefits through reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and fuel costs.”
The City is continuously evaluating technology and looking at opportunities to improve and optimize the performance of its fleet through a variety of initiatives such as:
- implementing better tracking and analysis of fleet data, including fuel use;
- “right-sizing” the fleet in all vehicle classes (light, medium and heavy duty) by choosing more efficient vehicles better suited to the task required;
- training staff on fuel management and fuel-efficient driving practices, and implementing an idle reduction program; and
- adopting Circular Economy criteria in all acquisitions.
“An E3 Fleet Platinum Rating is the highest mark of achievement for fleet management in Canada,” said Roger Smith, Senior Consultant for Fleet Challenge Canada, which manages the E3 Fleet Program. “The City of Richmond has again shown exceptional leadership by earning this rating and raising the bar even higher in scoring than before with this achievement, thanks to an unwavering commitment to making its entire fleet cleaner and more efficient.”
Reducing Richmond’s corporate fleet emissions as well as encouraging zero carbon transportation is a key component of the Green Fleet Action Plan. The City has installed one EV Fast Charger and 22 level two chargers for its fleet, along with four EV Fast Chargers and 52 level two chargers for the public located throughout Richmond. The City is also retrofitting some vehicles with solar panels, using alternative fuels where possible, and supporting and using car-sharing services.
Richmond’s Fleet Operations Department maintains over 600 vehicles and specialized pieces of equipment in servicing a geographic area of 129 square kilometres and population of over 230,500 residents.