CPS Energy Fleet Ranked #12 Green Fleet in North America
Every day, CPS Energy vehicles hit the streets of Greater San Antonio taking employees to do everything from fixing downed power lines to checking on community members in need of some extra help. But did you know these vehicles are part of one of the greenest and cleanest fleets on the continent?
That’s right, CPS Energy just ranked #12 on the list of 2020 Green Fleet Awards for North America, a prestigious and important industry ranking that considers all aspects of a fleet’s environmental stewardship, from alternative fuel options to miles traveled to vehicle purchasing. When the folks who work in CPS Energy’s Fleet department found out about the ranking, they were elated.
“I was wowed,” said Joe Jimenez, Senior Manager of Fleet Operations. “It’s a big accomplishment, and it shows what the team did to work together to achieve this. We have the same vision and same goal and we worked together to get it done.”
The team was also excited to see the company’s fleet continue to rise in the Green Fleet Awards rankings for yet another year. CPS Energy ranked 45th in 2017, 31st in 2018, and 28th in 2019.
“We are doing great things and I think it reflects on the people who are here that we have advanced in this ranking every year,” said Angela Baptiste, Manager of Fleet Administration. “I think it also reflects on our leadership that they are so supportive of all of these environmental efforts.”
Those efforts include the 90% procurement rate of alternative fuel vehicles for light-duty work, technology that reduces idling in large bucket trucks and the overall goal of continuing to electrify the company fleet. And while the Fleet team is proud of its newly-minted ranking, they’re certainly not sitting on their laurels as they look toward the future.
“Technology is quickly evolving, and we are always open to learning how we can best implement and support our current fleet,” said Dena De La Fuente, Program/Project Manager of Fleet Asset Management. “We are on the right track, but we definitely want to keep improving.”
As part of its vision, the team is also looking into potential future purchases of electric forklifts, replacing some of its hybrid sedans with full EVs, and bucket trucks that can operate the bucket and even the air conditioning and heater without having to sit idling. In addition to new purchases, huge strides have been made operationally, including reducing the number of trucks on the road when possible.
Michael Gutierrez, Supervisor of Fleet Maintenance, and his team even helped lead a large recycling effort at the company’s Salado garage, which garnered recognition from the City of San Antonio.
“Recycling can help us save a considerable amount of money and can also prevent the environment from being harmed,” said Michael. “We can help protect the environment in a lot of ways—from reducing utility costs to starting recycling and reusing programs to buying green products and services for company use.”
In the end though, all these efforts aren’t made just to receive an award. They’re meant to protect the community and uphold one of the Guiding Pillars of CPS Energy: providing Environmentally Responsible energy to all customers.
The team was also excited to see the company’s fleet continue to rise in the Green Fleet Awards rankings for yet another year. CPS Energy ranked 45th in 2017, 31st in 2018, and 28th in 2019. “We are on the same page as them when it comes to protecting our environment and we are serious about wanting to improve every year.”
