Fuel Conservation & Alternative Fleet Fuels

The City has a large fleet of vehicles--from solid waste pickup trucks to police cruisers. These vehicles can use a lot of fuel, so the City makes it a priority to save fuel to save money and improve air quality.

City Projects:

  • Hybrid Buses: The City operates 4 hybrid buses on two routes. The City's hybrid buses serve Route 11, a busy route that serves the KU Campus and Downtown Lawrence. Prior to the using the hybrids on this route we utilized older vehicles which operated at an average of 2.05 MPG. The hybrid buses have been operating at an average of 4.52 MPG.
  • Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): The city has one dedicated CNG Class 8 roll off truck and three bi-fuel trucks. In 2013, a new CNG fueling station was installed at the city’s maintenance garage for use by the four CNG vehicles.
  • Electric Vehicle Charging: The City was awarded a Coulomb electric vehicle charging station from the Jump Start Grant. It is a dedicated charging station for the Hybrid aerial truck used by the forestry division.
  • Electric Golf Carts: All of the golf carts at Eagle Bend Golf Course are electric carts.
  • Anti-idling Policy: The City has a policy to reduce vehicle idling in all of our departments.
  • GPS Units: In early 2011, the City began installing new GPS (global positioning system) units in various city vehicles and equipment. The GPS systems are currently being utilized in solid waste, streets and utilities vehicles. We are using GPS to improve efficiency in routing, which can help adjust routes to save time and fuel.
  • KC Clean Cities Member: Lawrence is a member of the KC Clean Cities Coalition, a coalition of local governments and fleet operators in the KC area working to share alternative fueling innovations.
Back to top