Mayor Bill de Blasio signs an executive order to reduce the City's vehicle fleet in the parking lot of Citi Field in Queens on Thursday, March 28, 2019. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

NYC To Reduce Fleet By Over 800 Vehicles In Bid To Save Money and Pollution

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a reduction of the city’s vehicle fleet by at least 855 vehicles Monday, in an effort to save taxpayer dollars and reduce carbon emissions. The four percent reduction of the on-road fleet will focus on non-emergency vehicles, and will reduce the city’s fleet to its size in the Bloomberg administration. In all, the plan announced today is expected to result in 5.13 million fewer miles driven per year — representing a 2,072 metric ton reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

“We want to encourage New Yorkers to get out of their cars and use alternative forms of transportation — and the city must lead by example,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, we are both saving New Yorkers’ tax dollars and taking action to cut carbon emissions. By reducing the city’s car fleet through a targeted, data-driven approach, we can achieve our sustainability goals, while simultaneously exercising greater fiscal responsibility. Promises made, promises kept.”

Reductions will be made based on vehicle usage data, tracked by DCAS’s sophisticated vehicle telematics system, which provides real-time insight into the entire city fleet and how it is being utilized. Vehicles that are underutilized will be prioritized for removal from the fleet. The fleet reduction will reduce agency vehicle acquisition budgets by an estimated $13.7 million — city savings that will be announced as part of the mayor’s upcoming Executive Budget.

The city of New York’s fleet currently consists of 24,526 on-road vehicles. On-road vehicles include 9,579 (39.1 percent) emergency vehicles, 7,893 (32.2 percent) agency work trucks, 2,648 (10.8 percent) Sanitation trucks and sweepers, and 4,406 (18 percent) general use cars. The reduction will focus on general use cars and will not impact emergency vehicles or other specialized units that provide critical services to New Yorkers.

The executive order will also direct DCAS to replace at least 250 SUVs with electric plug-in sedans. In addition to environmental benefits, electric sedans have significantly lower maintenance costs.

  • The City now operates over 1,750 on-road electric vehicles, the largest network for any municipal government.
  • The City operates a network of over 568 electric vehicle charging stations, including the largest network of solar-powered vehicle chargers, with 65 in use.
  • Last year the City began using renewable diesel, a 99 percent petroleum-free diesel alternative made of organic material.
  • Light-duty fleet vehicles purchased during the most recent Fiscal Year achieved an average fuel economy equivalent of 100 miles per gallon (MPG).
  • The City has ordered its first 190 hybrid pursuit rated police vehicles.

The changes will be completed by September 1, 2022, and the vehicles will be removed from the fleet and auctioned off by December 31, 2022.