In quest to go green, US firms retool car fleets

Companies are looking for ways to cut down on greenhouse gases and save money on increasingly expensive gasoline.

from the June 22, 2007 edition

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"If we find a station selling E85 (85 percent ethanol), we will group the cars close to the fueling station," says Pat Farrell, the vice president responsible for the company's environmental platform.

To date, some consumers have been disappointed that they've been unable to rent hybrids. "Every time I travel, I ask for one," says Andrew Winston, co­author of the book "Green to Gold." "When I went to Hertz's 'green fleet collection,' they only had a Camry.... Now it sounds like they are stepping it up."

In fact, some of the shift in fleets is demand-driven. Next week, Edelman, a national public-relations firm, will hold a general-managers meeting in San Francisco, and it will be "carbon neutral." This includes procuring hybrid ground transportation, says Chris Deri, who is in charge of the firm's corporate social-responsibility business. "If we can't find enough, we will purchase an offset [that goes to another organization to support greenhouse-gas reduction efforts]."

Such demand is helping to spur the growth of Ozocar, a limousine service in New York. The company started 20 months ago and has grown to 81 hybrid vehicles that shuttle executives around town. "We're entrepreneurs, but we would also like to help save the world," says Roo Rogers, the president and cofounder.

At Abbott, the impetus was a challenge from Miles White, the company's CEO, to improve its environmental performance. As part of this effort, says Bob Accarino, director of global environmental affairs, the company asked for employees to volunteer for a more fuel-efficient vehicle such as a Dodge Caliber.

One of those driving a Caliber for Abbott is specialty sales representative Frank Mattoon of Thousand Oaks, Calif. He gets 10 more miles per gallon, plus the company charges him $3 less per week for the use of the leased vehicle.

"Someone has to be the bell ringer and take the first step," he says. "Now, other sales reps are asking about my experiences driving in a greener car."

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