One of the greatest growths seen in Public Works has been in the numbers of vehicles and their maintenance. In 1952, the fleet consisted of about 100 vehicles and specialized equipment. Today, this number has grown by over 500 percent.

Earlier in 1991, there was some discussion regarding vehicle reduction when Berkeley adopted the state-mandated Clean Air Act. The plan committed the city to trip reduction of both city employee commuters and in its maintenance activities.

Nevertheless, the corporation yard failed to affect the commuting patterns of its 200 workers, citing poor public transit accessibility.

Instead, Public Works elected to mitigate this requirement by purchasing several electric scooters for parking control housed at the south Berkeley site. Since that time, the state requirements for large businesses like the city’s fleet have lessened, and this has slowed Berkeley’s clean air efforts. Two Years ago, a fleet audit affirmed that the city efforts at fleet reduction had been unsuccessful. It also indicated that a number of problems existed with data collection and monitoring of fleet activities.

If an army moves on its stomach then surely Public Works moves on its gasoline. This was certainly understood in 1929. Staff changed the hand-operated gas pump at the Corporation Yard to an electric one achieving a savings of three fueling hours a day. It was recognized then, as today, that the cost of fueling is more than the current price of gasoline, which incidentally was 12 cents wholesale, back then. Where vehicles are stored, fueled, and driven can have an enormous impact on productivity and the environment.

Traditionally, the fleet has used one centralized fueling station at the corporation yard. There was a slight shift in this pattern a decade ago, with the development of the Transfer Station and fueling. Today, most of the large trucks stationed at the Corporation Yard visit the Transfer Station each day and consequently have equal access to either fueling site. Yet they fuel at the vehicle maintenance yard as do other large trucks located outside the area.

Although there have been some attempts to understand the dynamics of city fueling, there have never been any origin and destination studies done. Where do city vehicles actually operate? Can a more diversified fueling scheme, which includes public stations, enhance the city’s operations and emergency preparedness.

Excerpt from Berkeley Public Works: Moving into the Twenty-First Century video presentation
Script and Narration: L A Wood December 1997

• Fuel Line Repair and Alternative Sites Reports
  L A Wood, July 17, 1995
• Activists Fight Street Traffic, Film Exposes Traffic Trouble
  Miranda Leitsinger Daily Californian, February 14, 1995
  
  

  Alternative Fueling Station (2001) Grand Opening hosted with Public Works, local officials and public.

  Traffic in Transit ...a west Berkeley neighborhood traffic plan for the SUDS area, (Sacramento Street, University Avenue, Dwight Way and San Pablo Avenue) (1995) 12:00 TRT Transportation plan for Berkeley's Corporation Yard, Public Works' fleet operations, and trip reduction. Examines the existing burden on the surrounding neighborhood of 450 vehicles fueling at the Corp Yard and the high cost of such a policy.

  On Berkeley Soil (1996) 13:48 TRT...a look at groundwater beneficial uses, the State of California's efforts at deregulation, SB 92-49 and its "containment zone" and "brownfields" policies.

  Berkeley Public Works: Moving into the Twenty-First Century ...chronicles the growth and development of Berkeley's Public Works Department over the last century including fleet management, the municipal workforce and land use issues..." (1997) 12:40 TRT