SYRACUSE, NY – The City of Syracuse, N.Y. updated its sustainability plans in the fall, part of which calls for long-term reductions in its fleet’s fuel use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The plan sets targets for 2020 and builds on its successful efforts to reduce emissions and fuel use that it began in 2002.

In 2002, the City’s baseline for its fleet’s GHG emissions was 11,251 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). In 2010, the City had reduced its metric tons of CO2e to 9,039. For 2020, its new target is 8,039 metric tons of CO2e. In addition to emissions, the City reduced its fleet’s fuel consumption by more than 140,000 gallons of gasoline and more than 35,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Its gasoline consumption fell from 698,575 gallons to 558,097, and its diesel usage dropped from 420,913 gallons to 383,774.

Looking ahead to 2020, Syracuse plans to reduce its fleet’s energy consumption by 10% by 2020. The City plans to achieve this by adding more efficient vehicle types to its fleet, further optimizing its maintenance cycles, implementing an anti-idling campaign, and emulating “green fleet” policies identified by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).

The City also plans to conduct a fleet study to identify other areas for improvement, fully optimize its Department of Public Works’ trash and recycling vehicles’ pickup routes, optimize City green spaces to reduce fuel use (switching to annual cutting in some cases), discuss feasibility of sharing equipment between DPW, City Schools, and the Parks Department by setting up “zones” to reduce travel from site to site.