COLLIN COUNTY, TX — Though Collin County will use a cleaner fuel in its diesel equipment, it is also looking to add vehicles that run on neither diesel nor gasoline to its fleet, according to the McKinney Courier Gazette newspaper. The county currently uses a Toyota Prius hybrid and seven bi-fuel trucks, which run on propane or gasoline. But the county is not alone in its use of alternatively fueled vehicles. Local governments are increasingly turning to the vehicles as a way to promote cleaner air in their areas. Collin County, like so many other metropolitan areas in Texas is considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to be in non-attainment for the reduction of ground-level ozone, so local governments, the search for cleaner fuels seems to be the only answer. Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Texas Department of Transportation, Capital Metro in Austin, the cities of Houston, Austin, and San Antonio use either ultra-low sulfur diesel, hybrid vehicles, natural gas vehicles or some combination. Bob Upchurch, fleet manager for Collin County, said the move to ultra-low sulfur diesel and the handful of alternatively fueled vehicles it owns is only the first step. "Our next step is to retrofit our diesel equipment," Upchurch said, this will help reduce emissions even further." By installing parts such as fuel vapor enhancers and particulate traps, in addition to maintaining gasoline vehicles, the county is hoping to scrub its way back into attainment. The seven bi-fuel trucks, when operated using propane, run cleaner and the fuel is cheaper, he said. "We try to run them on propane as much as possible because it reduces emissions, Upchurch said, "but the kicker is we can only get 12 to 13 miles per gallon." The Prius, Upchurch said, is one of a few pilot programs periodically implemented by the county to reduce emissions. Last year, Upchurch tested biodiesel in some of the county's fleet trucks. The fuel uses mostly renewable fat or vegetable oil as a substitute for diesel and is championed by environmentalists as a safe, clean fuel. "That was an alternative we looked at, but we weren't sure of the long term effects," Upchurch said. "Since we’re required to go to the ultra-low sulfur by 2005, we decided to go ahead and bite the bullet on it." Collin County public works director Jon Kleinheksel said the Prius has been popular among county employees, who can check out the car for conducting County business. "We're actually looking to expand our fleet with those," he said. The county has plans to purchase another hybrid gasoline/electric vehicle in fiscal 2005.