MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Public Works Association (MPWA) conducted a workshop and conference at the University of Minnesota's Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. The event held last November included 20 different sessions, several of which focused on green fleet-related topics.

MPWA member Christopher Petree, operations & maintenance director for the City of Lakeville, Minn., contacted NAFA's director of education, Joseph Dunne, who provided Petree with the names of several of NAFA's Fleet Management Seminar instructors. Petree selected Kevin Fareri, CAFM, fleet acquisitions administrator for the City of San Antonio, as one of the presenters.

The theme for the first day's session was "Hot Topics in Operations:  Green Fleets, Snow and Ice Removal." Fareri conducted three sessions: Green Fleets - Alternative Fuels, Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technology and Economics, and Fuel Management: General Overview.

For these sessions, Fareri utilized presentations supplied by NAFA, which included a general overview of fuel, alternative fuels, centralized fueling, decentralized fueling, hybrids, and telematics. 

The following day's theme was "Assessing Today's Realities, Charting Tomorrow's Course." Fareri conducted a session on Sustainability in Vehicles. During this presentation, he offered information on the City of San Antonio's green fleet initiatives, hybrid-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, medium-duty hybrids, and hydraulic launch assist and hydrostatic drive use in refuse trucks.

"We are pleased that the City of San Antonio allowed Kevin to join us and share this valuable information with our members", said Petree. 

 "The City of San Antonio encourages its staff to participate and conduct sessions in our areas of expertise.  We are able to share our experiences with others and at the same time we are learning from those who we are helping," said Fareri.

The Minnesota PWA holds workshops and conferences each spring and fall. The next conference will be held May 13-15 at the Grand View Lodge and Conference Center in Nisswa, Minn.