Drafter
Clerk 09/25/2013
Title
AN ORDINANCE related to vehicle lifetime mileage of electric vehicles in the county fleet; and amending Ordinance 17390, Section 1, and K.C.C. 4.56.300.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The county has shown leadership in acquiring significant numbers of electric vehicles as part of the county fleet for use by employees in the course of county business.
2. Electric vehicles represent a significant divergence from the technological base compared to vehicles driven by internal combustion engines, including that electric vehicles do not make use of internal combustion engines, transmissions, exhaust systems, water-based engine cooling systems and noise muffling systems, as well as the attendant mechanisms and attachments required to facilitate and support those systems.
3. The absence of those systems and attendant mechanisms and attachments may result in extended vehicle life for electric vehicles.
4. Managers of the county fleet in the operate the fleet in such a way as to surplus vehicles after they reach certain mileage thresholds, on the assumption that, beyond that mileage threshold, the frequency of vehicle repair may result in excessive costs to county taxpayers.
5. That mileage threshold is currently set at one hundred thousand miles.
6. The innovative technology of electric vehicles in the county fleet, suggests the prudence of a review of the fleet management experience for those vehicles to determine whether a different mileage threshold is appropriate for them.
7. Extending the mileage threshold for electric vehicles has the potential to result in savings both in terms of county taxpayer costs and in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Ordinance 17390, Section 1, and K.C.C. 4.56.300 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
A. Fleet administration shall annually identify countywide fleet standards for cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles and other nonrevenue vehicles. These standards shall apply to fleets managed by the fleet administration, solid waste, transit and airport divisions and shall be developed as follows:
1. The fleet managers of the fleet administration, solid waste, transit and airport divisions shall annually review the inventory of cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles and any other nonrevenue vehicles identified to be replaced in the coming year. The fleet managers shall assign a standard for each class of vehicle. If a vehicle meeting the standard is not available through an existing procurement contract, the fleet managers shall collaborate to determine the best method of procurement of the vehicle((.));
2. To the extent practicable, the original equipment manufacturer's recommended routine maintenance schedules, as specified by the use of the vehicle, shall be adhered to for all nonrevenue county fleet vehicles. Fleet managers may, at their discretion, document and adjust the frequency of routine service intervals where a deviation from the recommended routine maintenance schedule is indicated due to factors including, but not limited to, vehicle age, mileage, service hours or operating environment((.));
3.a. Vehicle replacement cycles shall, to the extent practicable, be consistent for each class of vehicle. The optimal mileage at which each class of vehicle should be replaced shall be established by the fleet managers using criteria such as purchase price, depreciation and maintenance costs. All county fleets ((will)) shall apply the same criteria to establish the optimal mileage and the maximum life cycle.
b. Fleet managers shall prepare an alternative fuel technology vehicle integration plan, describing necessary and appropriate steps towards the successful integration of alternative fuel vehicles into the county fleets. Plan elements may include:
(1) a description of the challenges and barriers that alternative fuel vehicles may encounter in efforts to integrate them into the county fleet;
(2) a description of opportunities for such vehicles in service to county government transportation needs;
(3) identification and a specific timeline for ascertainment of needed planning and analytical information in support of plan preparation, including:
(a) vehicle maintenance and repair histories, and related information that will support development of appropriate vehicle life cycle replacement standards; and
(b) vehicle utilization data;
(4) a summary of appropriate steps needed to integrate such vehicles into the county fleet; and
(5) other elements.
c. The alternative fuel technology vehicle integration plan together with a motion providing for acknowledgement of the transmittal of the plan, shall be filed with the clerk of the council by March 31, 2014, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers and the lead staff of the transportation, economy and environment committee or its successor;
4. The countywide fleet standards shall be evaluated by county fleet managers biannually, to coincide with the biennial budget cycle, and updated if needed((.)); and
5. The manager of the fleet administration division shall have lead responsibility for facilitating the biannual evaluation of countywide fleet standards.
B. The executive shall annually transmit an electronic copy and one paper copy of the King County fleet standards to the clerk of the council by August 31 for distribution to all councilmembers and the lead staff for the transportation, economy and environment committee, or its successor. The report shall include:
1. Vehicle types for purchase for standard passenger cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles for the next calendar year((,));
2. Standard maintenance schedules for routine safety and service work for each type of vehicle; and
3. Vehicle life including both optimal mileage and maximum life cycle for vehicle replacement planning.