Environmental sustainability
WFMA is committed to investigating new green alternatives and technologies to help reduce the environmental impact of the City’s vehicles, including the purchase of hybrid and electric vehicles.
Since 2017, vehicles and equipment that emit low GHG emissions and high fuel efficiency at the time of purchase are identified with a Green Fleet Compliant decal.
Automatic vehicle location (AVL)
The introduction of Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) devices allows City departments to monitor vehicle idling times, which aids in reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption, improves the efficiency of service delivery, and enhances worker safety.
These devices are used to monitor various driving behaviours, such as hard starts and stops, acceleration, and distance travelled, which can be used to better understand how to improve the efficiency of vehicles, prolong the lifespan, and possibly save the City money.
Electric vehicle trialing
WFMA has completed a trial of two electric vehicles, along with two supporting Level 3 charging stations. Through the trial, WFMA was able to determine the operational feasibility, cost, and benefits of electric vehicles. Utilizing electric vehicles realized savings from a decrease in fuel consumption and reduced maintenance costs. For more information on WFMA's electric vehicle trial, please read the report.
Vehicle refurbishment
Where possible, WFMA refurbishes vehicles and equipment to save the City money, as well as reduce the fleet’s environmental impact. For example, since 2017, WFMA has been refurbishing sand spreader trucks by recycling and reconditioning the aluminum and stainless steel bodies and snow plow attachments. In addition to saving over $1.9 million, this approach reduces the City’s carbon footprint by not purchasing newly manufactured truck bodies. The refurbished trucks also utilize more lightweight aluminum, allowing them to haul larger sand loads and reduce their travel time.