Hope College
OP-15: Campus Fleet

--This numbers up above do not include our leased vehicles because we do not typically keep them for vary long.

--As we replace old gas guzzling vehicles, the fuel efficiency continues to improve with a newer fleet. We are replacing some full sized vans with higher MPG minivans.

--Our Transportation Department is looking into getting a hybrid all wheel drive Sienna for the Campus Shuttle to replace the older model that we have now. They have also replaced an old diesel school bus with a brand new high efficiency gas model.

--The Transportation Department is to constantly look for 'greener' ways to operate given that cost and practicality are in line with what we can afford and what we need.

--Our physical plant and grounds team has also been switching from traditional vehicles to electric golf/service carts as a way to reduce our fleet vehicle numbers and reduce our carbon footprint. The carts are also utilized for events happening around campus to help transport visitors in place of traditional vehicles.

--Starting in the fall of 2019 an engineering class began working on a project to help us evaluate solar panels and battery storage to power our electric golf/service carts and grounds equipment. This project was delayed due to Covid but has since been completed. An article about the project can be found here: https://blogs.hope.edu/sustainability-institute/community-knowledge/student-led-solar-project-powers-grounds-equipment-at-hope/

----The college has pursued a couple of grants in order to help off-set the costs of switching to alternative vehicles, but we have not been awarded any to date. In particular it is a goal in our facilities and grounds team to start phasing out gasoline/diesel fuel vehicles/equipment with electric. We have had conversations with a few dealers, but nothing is finalized to date. We have continued this effort since our last report, but costs and limited supply have delayed us from unfortunately making much progress on this to date.