University named Green Fleet Award winner

UNC Charlotte is ranked 24th among the best government green motor fleets in the United States, according to the website 100 Best Fleets, which recognizes peak-performing fleet operations in North America.

Chris Facente, automotive supervisor in the Facilities Management Department, said creating a sustainable motor fleet supports the University’s commitment to be an excellent steward of the environment and saves money on fuel costs.

“We have a strong dedication to electric vehicles; they make up more than 20 percent of our fleet,” said Facente. “Also, we use E85 (an ethanol and gas blend) in all motor pool vehicles.”

He added that facilities management officials plan to replace more vehicles with electric ones and for larger trucks and vans to switch to more fuel efficient models.

“I am honored to carry on the good work started by my predecessor (the late Larry Lane) and appreciate the top-down support from Associate Vice Chancellor Phil Jones,” Facente stated. “This is the first time we’ve applied for the award, and we had no idea we would qualify in the top 50 the first year.”

Facente also lauded coworkers who provided and compiled data for the awards submission. They included automotive technicians Jerome Crawford, Landon Martin, Vince McNeil, Sara Nester and Bobby Robinson; grounds technicians Bill Allerton and Jim Green; and motor fleet representative Kathy Fisher.