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APS has a fleet of about 2,400 licensed motor vehicles used to deliver service to customers across Arizona. These include heavy-duty trucks which run on diesel and biodiesel, and light-duty trucks (such as line trucks) and passenger cars that run primarily on unleaded gasoline.
In 2008, we established two new metrics with associated goals for our mobile fleet which are targeted to measure our efforts to improve fuel efficiency in our fleet in order to reduce both fuel use and CO2 emissions, as well as reducing operating costs.
These metrics are:
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Pounds of CO2 emission per mile traveled, with a goal to reduce the number of pounds of CO2 per mile traveled by 2 percent per year over the 2008 to 2013 time period.
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Miles per gallon, with a goal to improve the miles per gallon achieved by our vehicles by 2 percent per year over the 2008 to 2013 time period.
We were successful in meeting our internal goals in 2008, with the following year-end results:
“There is an ongoing effort at APS to evaluate all equipment classes in our fleet,” said Ron Trafzer, Director, Supply Chain Management. "We want to make sure employees have the safest, most reliable, cost-efficient vehicles available.”
A Vehicle Standards Committee was developed to look closely at all facets of APS’ vehicle fleet. “The committee,” said Trafzer, “along with the Transportation Group and feedback from employees, has brought some wonderful ideas that have helped us reduce our carbon footprint and make us a leader in the industry.”
Trafzer stressed that the safety of any new vehicle in the fleet plays as important a role in the selection process as any  other selection criteria.
Smaller hybrid vehicles are joining the fleet in increasing numbers as they replace gas-fueled cars. Six Chevy Malibu Hybrid sedans have been purchased this year, joining another half-dozen Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs purchased since 2005. These vehicles are used primarily by Customer Service areas around the state.
In September, the company took delivery of its first hybrid line truck. Manufactured by Dueco/Odyne, the plug-in hybrid EV made its public debut at the 2008 GreenSummit Expo and Conference sponsored by APS. The new truck is the first  commercially available “second generation” hybrid, which can recharge its batteries while driving or while off-duty and plugged into the power grid. The hybrid truck is expected to be able to power its aerial device for up to eight hours of engine-off operation as well as provide air conditioning for the cab and auxiliary power for tools.
Most of the company’s 40 technicians statewide will undergo manufacturer training for the new hybrid line-truck, as will the linemen who will operate it. A second hybrid line- truck, manufactured by Freightliner/Eaton, is on order and expected to join the fleet by the end of 2008. This is a “first generation” hybrid, a commercially proven platform that can provide up to two hours of engine-off aerial operation before recharging is required.
Hybrid trucks such as these have been shown to decrease fuel consumption by up to 50 percent due primarily to reduced idling time while the truck is working. In addition to reducing fuel costs and decreasing emissions, hybrid trucks offer quiet engine-off operation of aerial equipment, reduced maintenance requirements and longer engine life.
The company also is working with a vehicle builder to create its own hybrid trouble truck. The Class 5 truck will offer a “hybrid lite” concept. With a gas-powered engine, it will employ an electric hydraulic system for engine-off operation of a boom equipped with a small bucket. If the truck performs as anticipated, the hybrid lite concept will be a strong candidate to become the company’s standard for that class of truck.
Since 1999, the company’s diesel vehicles have been fueled by B20 biodiesel that’s pumped at onsite fuel locations across the state. Biodiesel accounts for about 60 percent of the company’s total diesel fuel usage of about 1.2 million gallons annually. B20 biodiesel is a blend of diesel and 20 percent oils such as soybean oil and waste vegetable oil. Its primary benefit is reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil by substituting locally available sources.
Perhaps the greatest fuel-saving device on company vehicles is the ignition switch. Initiatives have been waged to encourage employees to reduce the idling of vehicles whenever possible. Whether it’s a car or truck, fuel is saved whenever a vehicle is turned off if it isn’t on a roadway and doesn’t need to be running.
Numerous initiatives have been launched by the Deer Valley Garage in recent years with a goal of cutting costs and improving the sustainability of the vehicle fleet. More than three years ago, an extended oil-drain program was implemented. By extending the mileage between oil drains, a reduction has been achieved in both new oil used and waste oil generated.
In the past year-and-a-half, vehicle specs were revised with an eye toward improved fuel economy. This has resulted in higher gear ratios and smaller engines throughout the fleet.
About 90 percent of the antifreeze used by technicians is recycled. Drained antifreeze is processed for reuse. Metal oil filters are crushed and given to a steel recycler that uses them to produce rebar.
Down the road, the company is looking at technologies to improve the fleet’s fuel efficiency. These include automated fuel management systems and GPS systems that can record and retrieve critical data for a vehicle, such as idling statistics and Power Take Off (PTO) time, which measures power used to drive an auxiliary hydraulic pump for boom operation. This would allow the company to identify vehicles with high idle or fuel-usage performance.
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