Vehicle and Fuel Use

Mission 

The team evaluates and incorporates the statutory requirements for vehicle and fuel use. The team advocates natural resource sustainability by evaluating vehicle and fuel use in compliance with statutory requirements.

Scope 

The team evaluates vehicle and fuel-use requirements, establishes metrics, and develops and implements a plan of action to meet requirements.

Goals are achieved by acquiring low greenhouse gas emitting, alternative-fueled, and hybrid vehicles, when they are available and suitable for the LM mission. These acquisitions directly impact natural resource sustainability in fleet vehicles and fuel use—while maintaining the smallest fleet possible—to accomplish LM’s ever-expanding mission. 

Factors to be considered in attaining these goals include: 

• New sites to be added into the LM system
• Alternative fuels availability
• Alternative-fuel-vehicle availability
• Balancing vehicle-type availability with the types of vehicles required to conduct LM work
• Right-sizing LM’s fleet inventory based on vehicle utilization 

LM’s mission requires fieldwork and support at sites that are remotely located and require low, 4-wheel-drive capability, this equates to an unavoidable increasing number of miles being driven each year. LM balances this by selecting the most appropriate sized vehicle for the task, combining trips, employing remote sensored equipment when available, and educating staff on changing driving habits in order to decrease the amount of fuel used.

Key Expectations 

• Develop and implement a system to monitor and evaluate progress.
• Maintain/implement a vehicle and fuel use plan.
• Review data collection and implement an automated system to replace handwritten trip tickets.
• Continual analysis of vehicle data to identify areas of improvement for goal/target accomplishment.
• Provide information to increase employee awareness.
• Report status regularly.