T

he 7th National Motor Vehicle

and Aviation Exposition and

Workshops, FedFleet 2007, will

take place on July 24-26, 2007 at the

Rosen Shingle Creek in beautiful

Orlando, FL. Rosen Shingle Creek

opened in September 2006.

Situated near the intersection of

the Beeline Expressway and

International Drive, Rosen Shingle

Creek boasts its own pro golf

course. The facility itself is a large

1700 room hotel with conference

facilities all under one roof. Those

attending FedFleet 2007 will

appreciate all of the conveniences

that this property offers –

particularly the onsite conference

facilities.

Since 1998 when the first FedFleet

was held in Scottsdale, Arizona,

FedFleet has expanded and grown

into what is truly a one-stop-shop.

In 2004, the Fedfleet Workshops and

IMEAC conferences were merged

into one annual fleet training event.

In 2005, The Federal Vehicle

Standards Conference was rolled

under the FedFleet umbrella.

FedFleet was further expanded in

2006 when it incorporated Aviation

workshops and training. 

FedFleet 2007 is co-sponsored by

the GSA Office of Governmentwide

Policy, GSA Fleet, the Federal Fleet

Policy Council (FedFleet), and the

Interagency Committee for Aviation

GSA Office of Governmentwide Policy

Issue 36 April 2007

http://www.gsa.gov/vehiclepolicy

Vehicle Views

In This Issue

FedFleet 2007: 

It’s Happening in Orlando!. . . . . . . . . . . 1

Orlando Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

National Sleep Foundation 

Statement on Sleeping Pills, 

Impaired Driving, and Unusual 

Sleep-Related Behavior. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Aggressive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Roadway Work Zone Safety . . . . . . . . 6

Driving at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Dear GSA Fleet Customer, . . . . . . . . . 8

Now That’s Progress: 

Understanding Biodiesel and

Warranties in New Diesel 

Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Retread Tires: They Look Round 

and Black, But They Are Really 

Very... GREEN! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Strengthening America’s Energy

Security and Improving the

Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

The MTV Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Continued on page 2

FedFleet 2007: 

It’s Happening in Orlando!

Vehicle Views

Issue 36 April 2007
2

VehicleViews

Policy (ICAP).

Here are just some of the workshop

topics at FedFleet 2007:

• Ethics

• Acquisition

• FAST

• Alternative Fuels

• Fleet Regulations

• Rightsizing Your Fleet

• Benchmarking

• Vehicle Registration

• Federal Vehicle Standards

An optional one-day “Basic Fleet

Management” class will be

conducted prior to the conference on

Sunday, July 22, 2007. This special

all-day session provides a detailed

summary of basic requirements, rules

and best practices of what it takes to

be a competent Fleet Manager and an

overview of the vehicle life cycle.

This session is free with your

registration fee, but participants

need to pre-register for this session

during the registration process. 

ICAP Aircraft Safety Officers

Training (ASO) will be offered at

FedFleet 2007. 

To encourage Federal aviation safety

officers to improve their skills and

knowledge, GSA and ICAP are

sponsoring the Federal Aviation

Safety Officers Program. Under this

program, the ICAP will issue a

certificate of training to any aviation

safety officer who can meet the

program's training requirements. 

FedFleet is already known for its

priceless networking opportunities

and top-notch exhibit hall. FedFleet

2007 will be no exception!

Keynote speakers include Jon

Cowart of NASA. Mr. Cowart works

with the Space Shuttle Program.

David DeBoy will return as emcee

and also present a professional

development course on giving

presentations. The Fleet and

Aviation awards will be presented

during FedFleet 2007. Free space is

provided for agency meetings on

Monday, July 23 and the evening of

Wednesday, July 25.

As you can see, FedFleet 2007 is a

great bargain for your training dollar.

Register today! 

To learn more about all that FedFleet

2007 has to offer, and to register, visit

the FedFleet 2007 web site at

www.fedfleet.org or call 1-800-315-

4333. ■

FEDFLEET 2007 from page 1

Mr. David DeBoy
3

VehicleViews

Cirque du Soleil - La Nouba

Nearly 5 million spectators have watched “La

Nouba's” cast perform daring feats and physical

acrobatics. Located at Downtown Disney.

SeaWorld Orlando - Journey to Atlantis

Adventurers drop 60 feet (80 meters), nearly straight down, as this water coaster rise hurls

them into the dark and mysterious depths of Atlantis. With more than 116,000 gallons of

water, Journey to Atlantis leads guests through the twisting turns and two drops. The ride

spans an area the size of six acres (two hectares) and towers taller than a 10-story building.

Hard Rock Live

Hard Rock Live Orlando is a 3,000-person concert venue located at Universal

CityWalk. Performances range from national acts to emerging artists.

A Few of the Many Orlando Attractions

Photos courtesy of the Orlando/Orange Convention & Visitors Bureau
4

the Safety zone

S

ince a report in The New York

Times on March 8, 2006 regarding

impaired drivers who have been

found to have the prescription

sleeping pill Ambien in tested blood

samples, there have been a series of

media reports on this and another

story that described a combination of

sleepwalking and eating in a pattern

in which the person has no

awareness or recollection of these

actions. These reports have raised

concern about the association of

sleeping pill use and impaired

driving, "sleep-eating," and other

unusual behaviors.

To address these concerns, a task

force of the National Sleep

Foundation (NSF) reviewed these

reports, assessed them in terms of

available scientific information, and

presented recommendations to the

Board of Directors, which has issued

the following:

Impaired Driving

• In most cases, impaired driving

occurs as a result of an individual

consciously deciding to drive

despite previously engaging in a

behavior which may impair driving

(e.g., alcohol consumption,

obtaining insufficient sleep, taking

sedating medication)

• Reduced alertness while driving, a

major contributor to reduced driver

attention, is to be avoided when a

person intends to drive.

• Two common causes of reduced

alertness when driving are alcohol

consumption and sleep

deprivation. Therefore, people

should not drive if they have

consumed excessive alcohol, nor

should they drive if they have not

obtained adequate sleep during

recent nights. Alcohol

consumption by an already sleep

deprived person puts that

individual at particular risk.

• Sleeping pills, some anti-anxiety

medications, antidepressants,

antihistamines, and many other

drugs reduce alertness. For that

reason patients should understand

the effects of these medications,

and the duration of these effects,

and avoid driving while impaired.

Unusual Behaviors 

During Sleep

• Sleepwalking, eating at night

without knowledge or recollection,

and other unusual behaviors

during apparent sleep, are known

to occur among the general

population, and can be dangerous.

• When purposeful behavior occurs

during sleep, or more accurately

during a state somewhere

between normal alert wakefulness

and sleep, it is referred to as a

"dissociated" state. This means

that behaviors, thoughts, feelings,

and awareness of the environment,

which are typically characteristic

of being awake, are dissociated

from wakefulness and occur

during sleep or during incomplete

arousal from sleep. A mixture of

sleep and waking behaviors

appear to be occurring in these

instances.

• Such dissociated states are more

likely to occur when sleep is

"deeper", that is, more difficult

from which to awaken fully, at

least in some people. Sleep

deprivation, for example,

subsequently results in deeper

sleep and appears to make

sleepwalking more likely to occur

in some people (particularly

children).

• Sedative drugs appear to have a

similar effect on a few people. That

is, sedatives deepen sleep, make

awakening more difficult, and in

rare cases, dissociated behavior

may occur. Alcohol is a drug which

has been involved in many

instances of strange behavior

during sleep without recollection.

Sleeping pills have also been

taken by people who exhibit

dissociated behaviors. Often

affected individuals have taken

excessive amounts of a sleeping

pill, have combined more than one

sedative medication, or have

alcohol and sedative medication in

their system at the same time. The

amount of sedative drug taken,

whether one, two or several drugs,

is an important factor in promoting

dissociated behavior.

• Most medications taken to

promote sleep have the potential

to impair memory for events

occurring when the drug is in the

body, although memory problems

with sleeping pills are reported

infrequently. In some cases,

unusual behavior attributed to

National Sleep Foundation Statement 

on Sleeping Pills, Impaired Driving, 

and Unusual Sleep-Related Behavior

Provided by the National Sleep Foundation

Continued on page 5
5

VehicleViews

"sleepwalking" when taking a

medication, may actually be

explained by the failure of a person

to remember what they did even

though they were actually awake at

the time.

The National Sleep Foundation

recommends that when using

sleeping pills, as with all

medications, individuals follow the

instructions provided by their

physician and presented in the

package insert for that medication. It

is important that the patient tell their

doctor about any other drugs they are

using, including non-prescription

medicines and alcohol. If a serious

side effect occurs they should

immediately report the event to their

physician and inquire about stopping

the medication. Importantly, NSF

encourages those with insomnia and

other sleep disorders to decide about

appropriate treatment after

consulting with their physician or a

sleep medicine specialist.

For more information about

avoidance of impaired driving due to

sleepiness, go to

http://www.drowsydriving.org/

For more information about insomnia

and its treatments, go to

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/publi

c/sleep/insomnia.pdf. ■

SLEEP from page 4

Aggressive driving behaviors are linked to half of

all car crashes. It is the driver’s legal

responsibility to do everything to avoid being in a

crash.

High-Risk Behaviors - Moving Violations

that Threaten the Safety of Others.

These include: speeding, running red lights and stop

signs, tailgating, frequent and unsafe lane changes

and angry or threatening behavior towards other

motorists.

Aggressive drivers have low regard for others, and

use their cars to express their anger and frustration.

How to Handle them:

• Steer clear of aggressive drivers.

• Don't look at or challenge aggressive drivers.

• Let them pass you and, if necessary, phone 911 to

report them to the police.

How Not to Become Aggressive:

• Monitor your own state of mind to make sure you

aren't a danger to others.

• Allow enough time to reach your destination

without speeding. Keep food in the car. Monitor

your emotions; don’t drive if you’re upset.

Don't Trigger Aggression:

Actions that trigger aggression involve a failure to

follow basic traffic laws, such as:

• Failing to turn when a right on red is permitted.

• Blocking traffic.

• Failing to stay in the right lane, except to pass.

• Running or rolling through RED lights and STOP

signs.

• Passing on a double yellow line.

• Failure to signal lane changes.

• Failure to check traffic before changing lanes.

• Inappropriate speed

• Distracted driving and inadequate attention to

conditions.

• Passing on the shoulder during dense traffic.

Aggressive Driving

Provided by the National Road Safety Foundation, Inc.
6

VehicleViews

I

n 2003 there were 1,028 people

killed and 40,637 people injured in

work zone crashes. Compared to

2002, work zone fatalities and injuries

decreased 13% and 22%, respectively.

Of the 1,028 people killed in work

zones, 862 were in construction zones,

79 were in maintenance zones, 21

were in utility zones, and 66 were in

an unknown type of work zone. 

We all are responsible for driving,

walking, and biking, safely through

work zones. The engineers and

planners have the responsibility to

make sure the work zone is designed

and operating properly -- with safety

in mind. Drivers and pedestrians have

the responsibility to always be alert

and obey the traffic laws. The police

and the courts have the responsibility

to make sure that the traffic and work

zone laws are enforced. Public safety

agencies have the responsibility of

responding to and securing crash

locations and enforcing traffic laws.

Local communities and county and

state governments need to allocate

funding for safe roads and increase

public awareness about work zone

safety. Everyone should take

responsibility for work zone safety.

Tips for driving safely in work

zones

• Expect the unexpected -- Normal

speed limits may be reduced,

traffic lanes may be changed, and

people may be working on or near

the road. 

• Slow down -- Speeding is one of

the major causes of work zone

crashes. 

• Don't tailgate -- Keep a safe

distance between you and the car

ahead of you. The most common

crash in a highway work zone is the

rear end collision. 

• Keep your distance -- Keep a safe

distance between your vehicle and

the construction workers and their

equipment. 

• Pay attention to the signs -- The

warning signs are there to help you

and other drivers move safely

through the work zone. Observe

the posted signs until you see the

one that says you've left the work

zone. 

• Obey road crew flaggers -- The

flagger knows what is best for

moving traffic safely in the work

zone. A flagger has the same

authority as a regulatory sign, so

you can be cited for disobeying his

or her directions. 

• Stay alert and minimize

distractions -- Dedicate your full

attention to the roadway and avoid

changing radio stations or using

cell phones while driving. 

• Keep up with the traffic flow --

Motorists can help maintain traffic

flow and posted speeds by

merging as soon as possible. Don't

drive right up to the lane closure

and then try to barge in. 

• Expect delays -- Schedule enough

time to drive safely and check

radio, tv and web sites for traffic

information. 

• Be patient and stay calm -- The

work zone crew members are

working to improve the road and

make your future drive better..

This information is in cooperation

with the Federal Highway

Administration, and American Road

& Transportation Builders

Association. ■

Roadway Work Zone Safety

Provided by the National Safety Council
7

VehicleViews

T

raffic death rates are three times greater at night than

during the day, according to the National Safety

Council. Yet many of us are unaware of night driving's

special hazards or don't know effective ways to deal with

them.

Driving at night is more of a challenge than many people

think. It's also more dangerous.

Why is night driving so dangerous? One obvious answer is

darkness. Ninety percent of a driver's reaction depends on

vision, and vision is severely limited at night. Depth

perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision are

compromised after sundown. 

Older drivers have even greater difficulties seeing at night.

A 50-year-old driver may need twice as much light to see as

well as a 30-year old.

Another factor adding danger to night driving is fatigue.

Drowsiness makes driving more difficult by dulling

concentration and slowing reaction time.

Alcohol is a leading factor in fatal traffic crashes, playing a

part in about half of all motor vehicle-related deaths. That

makes weekend nights more dangerous. More fatal crashes

take place on weekend nights than at any other time in the

week.

Fortunately, you can take several effective measures to

minimize these after-dark dangers by preparing your car and

following special guidelines while you drive.

The National Safety Council recommends the following:

• Prepare your car for night driving. Clean headlights,

taillights, signal lights and windows (inside and out) once

a week, more often if necessary. 

• Have your headlights properly aimed. Misaimed

headlights blind other drivers and reduce your ability to

see the road. 

• Don't drink and drive. Not only does alcohol severely

impair your driving ability, it also acts as a depressant.

Just one drink can induce fatigue. 

• Avoid smoking when you drive. Smoke's nicotine and

carbon monoxide hamper night vision. 

• If there is any doubt, turn your headlights on. Lights will

not help you see better in early twilight, but they'll make it

easier for other drivers to see you. Being seen is as

important as seeing. 

• Reduce your speed and increase your following

distances. It is more difficult to judge other vehicle's

speeds and distances at night. 

• Don't overdrive your headlights. You should be able to

stop inside the illuminated area. If you're not, you are

creating a blind crash area in front of your vehicle. 

• When following another vehicle, keep your headlights on

low beams so you don't blind the driver ahead of you. 

• If an oncoming vehicle doesn't lower beams from high to

low, avoid glare by watching the right edge of the road

and using it as a steering guide. 

• Make frequent stops for light snacks and exercise. If

you're too tired to drive, stop and get some rest. 

• If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible.

Warn approaching traffic at once by setting up reflecting

triangles near your vehicle and 300 feet behind it. Turn on

flashers and the dome light. Stay off the roadway and get

passengers away from the area. 

Observe night driving safety as soon as the sun goes down.

Twilight is one of the most difficult times to drive, because

your eyes are constantly changing to adapt to the growing

darkness. ■

Driving at Night

Provided by the National Safety Council
8

Continued on page 9

Acquisitions
9

VehicleViews
10

on the Green front

T

he new clean diesel technology

and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel

(ULSD) are signs of progress in

our transportation industry. Model

year 2007 diesel engines will be

equipped with advanced emissions

control devises that require the use

of ULSD. They drastically cut

pollution, which is better for the

environment, better for the health of

drivers and the public in general. As

author Harry Millner said: “All

progress occurs because people dare

to be different.” 

However, no one said progress would

come without a few challenges. Fleet

managers are now tackling the

challenge of implementing ULSD and

the new diesel technology, and have

many questions. These include

questions about using biodiesel with

ULSD and the new technology. 

Lubricity of ULSD, reliability of the

new Particulate Matter (PM) traps,

and impact on fuel economy have all

been raised as issues and concerns.

You can expect some bumps in the

road these first few years as the U.S.

implements ULSD and the aftertreatment technologies that will make

S15 diesel fuels the clean, highefficiency transportation fuels of

choice. Biodiesel will be an

important part of all future diesel

fuel, and the use of biodiesel blends

may actually help eliminate many of

the lubricity and maintenance needs

with ULSD and the new particulate

traps.

GSA recently issued a letter to fleet

customers saying that it had

contacted the manufacturers

regarding alternative fuel use in their

new vehicles, including biodiesel.

This notification from GSA to fleet

customers reiterates what existing

warranty positions have been for B20,

a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80

percent diesel. That position is that

all major Original Equipment

Manufacturers (OEMs) support up to

five percent biodiesel. However, it is

important to clarify that no major

OEM says that using B20 will

necessarily void the engine warranty.

This is still true for the new 2007

engines. 

Still, if biodiesel or any other fuel

causes engine damage that would not

be covered under warranty. This is

also something that will not change

with 2007 technology. An example of

how this might happen is if a fleet

used off-spec biodiesel. 

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB)

continues to work with the OEMs to

secure the final B20 blended fuel

specifications and other data that

some say they need before fully

supporting B20. This includes

specific work on B20’s impact on

ULSD and on the new PM traps

being implemented this year, as well

as NOx technology to be

implemented in 2010. The information

gathered so far indicates that use of

B20 in PM traps actually allows them

to be more effective in reducing

particulate matter than S15

petrodiesel. In addition, B20 lowers

the regeneration temperature needed

for soot burn-off, which may reduce

the amount of unburned fuel needed

for PM trap regeneration. This could

result in a possible fuel economy

increase with B20 compared to

petrodiesel. More research is needed

with B20 in these new technologies,

but data so far are encouraging.

The NBB will continue to work with

all OEMs on ensuring existing and

future diesel technology

compatibility. That testing is funded

partly by America’s soybean farmers,

through a program called the

soybean checkoff. Not only do

farmers put food on our table, they

put fuel in our tank. And they do this

in a way that sustains both the need

for food and fuel, which are totally

compatible.

In the same letter to fleet customers,

GSA recommends fleets use only

ASTM D 6751 grade biodiesel for

making biodiesel blends, and that

Now That’s Progress:

Understanding Biodiesel 

and Warranties in New Diesel

Technology

By Leland Tong

Continued on page 11
11

VehicleViews

customers buy from biodiesel

suppliers certified under the BQ-9000

voluntary quality control program.

This is excellent advice, and

something NBB firmly supports.

Quality is critical in ensuring troublefree use. 

Participation in the BQ-9000 program

has grown significantly. During the

National Biodiesel Conference &

Expo in San Antonio last February,

the National Biodiesel Accreditation

Commission announced that six

more companies had achieved BQ9000 accredited status. All of the

accredited biodiesel producers

together (17 at the time) account for

more than 40 percent of the biodiesel

production capacity in the U.S. To

see a list of accredited producers

and certified marketers, visit

www.BQ-9000.org. NBB has also

developed an online Fuel Quality

Enforcement Guide

(www.biodiesel.org) that provides

guidance on actions for anyone who

has concerns about the quality of

their biodiesel fuel.

The great progress that’s been made

in the biodiesel industry will help it

continue to grow and thrive. A

growing industry will benefit all

Americans – in the form of new jobs,

clean air, and decreased dependence

on foreign oil. That’s real progress

that gets us moving in the right

direction.

Leland Tong is chairman of the

National Biodiesel Accreditation

Commission. He also spearheads

federal fleet outreach for the

National Biodiesel Board. ■

Retread Tires

They Look Round and Black

But They Are Really Very...

GREEN!

All government fleet managers want to be as environmentally

friendly as possible when it comes to purchasing various

components for their vehicles. There is no better way to carry out

that mandate than to use retreaded tires.

Retreaded tires have one of the highest post consumer contents of

any recycled product, and refreshingly, unlike with most other

recycled products, retreaded tires nearly always cost LESS than

comparable new tires.

The retread industry can offer the exact same quality as higher

priced new tires but at a far lower cost in most instances, while at

the same time being very environmentally friendly. Thanks to new

technology and improvements in rubber chemistry, retreaded tires

will often actually deliver more miles than new tires, with a failure

rate as low or even lower than new tires.

As a service to all government agencies on the federal, state and

local levels, the Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB) will actively

work with fleet managers to help set up a retread tire program for

their fleets. Since many fleet managers may not have had any

experience with retreads, the TRIB materials can be very valuable. In

addition to our CDs, DVDs and printed materials, TRIB maintains a

speakers bureau and will be happy to conduct tire maintenance,

retread & tire repair workshops on-site anywhere in the continental

United States for public sector fleets.

TRIB also offers retread plant tours, which is a great way for fleet

managers to convince themselves and their staffs that retreads are

a worthwhile alternative to new tires. For information on setting up

tire workshops, plant tours in your area or to receive the TRIB

materials, please contact the Tire Retread Information Bureau toll

free at 888-473-8732, or send an email to: info@retread.org. You will

be glad you did. ■

BIODIESEL from page 10
12

VehicleViews

President Bush Toured The DuPont Experimental

Station In Wilmington, Delaware, And Discussed His

Initiatives To Strengthen America's Energy Security

And Improve The Environment.Thanks to researchers

like those at the DuPont Experimental Station, America is

on the path to greater energy security. The DuPont

Experimental Station was one of the first industrial

research and development facilities in the United States.

Researchers there are now working on ways to produce

cellulosic ethanol from the stalk and leaves that are left in

the field after farmers harvest their crop, and the

President participated in a tour focusing on this research.

President Bush Signed An Executive Order To

Support Alternative Fuel Use And Help The Federal

Government Reduce Oil Use. The Order requires

Federal Agencies to lead by example in advancing the

Nation's energy security and environmental performance

through effective environmental, energy, and

transportation management. 

In The State Of The Union Address, President Bush

Announced His "Twenty In Ten" Plan To Reduce U.S.

Gasoline Usage By 20 Percent In The Next Ten Years.

President Bush called on Congress and all Americans to

join him in pursuing the goal of reducing U.S. gasoline

usage, which will help increase our Nation's energy

security by reducing our dependence on oil. Achieving this

goal will also help address climate change concerns by

potentially stopping the projected growth of carbon

dioxide emissions from cars, light trucks, and SUVs within

10 years. 

America Will Reach The President's Twenty In

Ten Goal By:

1. Increasing The Supply Of Renewable And Alternative

Fuels By Setting A Mandatory Fuels Standard To

Require 35 Billion Gallons Of Renewable And

Alternative Fuels In 2017 – Nearly Five Times The 2012

Target Now In Law. In 2017, this will displace 15 percent

of projected annual gasoline use.

• The President's FY 2008 Budget Will Request $2.7

Billion For The Advanced Energy Initiative – An

Increase Of 26 Percent Above The 2007 Request And 53

Percent Above 2006. President Bush has called for

increased Federal investment in hydrogen fuel

technology research, so we can move closer to the day

when the vehicles we drive use no gasoline and

produce no pollution. He has also called for increased

investment in advanced batteries for hybrids and plugin hybrids, bio-diesel fuels, and new methods of

producing ethanol and other biofuels. 

• Under The New Farm Bill Proposal, Agriculture

Secretary Mike Johanns Will Announce Significant

Efforts At USDA To Advance Alternative And

Renewable Fuels Research. The Administration’s Farm

Bill proposal will include more than $1.6 billion of new

funding over ten years for energy innovation, including

bio-energy research, energy efficiency grants, and $2

billion in loans for cellulosic ethanol plants. 

2. Reforming And Modernizing Corporate Average Fuel

Economy (CAFE) Standards For Cars And Extending

The Current Light Truck Rule. In 2017, this will reduce

projected annual gasoline use by up to 8.5 billion

gallons, a further 5 percent reduction that, in

combination with increasing the supply of renewable

and alternative fuels, will bring the total reduction in

projected annual gasoline use to 20 percent.

Strengthening America’s Energy 

Security and Improving the Environment

Continued on page 13

“I came wondering whether or not cellulosic ethanol was one of these things

down the road that may be happening, may not, could end up being science

or science fiction. It’s going to be science. It's working.”

President George W. Bush, 1/24/07
13

VehicleViews

To Help Meet The President's Twenty In Ten

Goal, The Federal Government Will Contribute

To The National Effort To Reduce Oil Use And

Improve Environmental And Energy

Performance 

The Executive Order President Bush Signed Directs

The Federal Government To:

• Reduce Oil Consumption In Fleet Vehicles. The

President has set the goal of reducing petroleum

consumption in fleet vehicles by two percent annually

through 2015. In addition, the President has directed

Federal agencies to purchase plug-in hybrid vehicles

when commercially available. 

• Increase Use Of Renewable And Alternative Fuels. The

President has directed Federal agencies to increase

their alternative fuel consumption by at least 10 percent

annually. 

• Use More New Renewable Power. The Executive Order

stipulates that at least 50 percent of agencies' current

renewable energy purchase requirement must come

from new renewable sources, such as wind, solar,

biomass, landfill gas, or geothermal. 

• Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The President has

directed Federal agencies to improve energy efficiency

and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by cutting back

on energy intensity – how much energy is used per

square foot of building space – by 3 percent annually or

30 percent by 2015. This new goal seeks to achieve in 10

years the same level of improvement Federal agencies

achieved in the last 20 years, and is 50 percent stronger

than the goal called for in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. 

• Acquire Environmentally Sound Products. The

Executive Order requires increases in the purchase of

environmentally sound products, including biobased

and more efficient electronic products, and the

development of high performance buildings that are

healthier and consume less energy. 

Requiring The Federal Government To Invest In New

Sources Of Energy Will Help Diversify America's

Energy Supply.The Federal government is the largest

purchaser and user of energy in the world. The

requirements of the Executive Order will help protect our

environment and confront the serious challenge of global

climate change.

Strengthening America's Energy Security

The President's Plan To Strengthen America's

Energy Security Also Includes:

• Stepping Up Domestic Oil Production In

Environmentally Sensitive Ways. 

• Doubling The Current Capacity Of The Strategic

Petroleum Reserve (SPR) To 1.5 Billion Barrels By 2027.

Doubling the SPR alone will provide approximately 97

days of net oil import protection, enhancing America's

ability to respond to potential oil disruptions. 

More Information On The President's State Of The

Union Proposal For Strengthening America's Energy

Security Is Available At:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2007/initiative

s/energy.html. ■

ENERGY from page 12
14

the MTV update

This section is to advise you of the status of the projects the GSA , Vehicle Management Policy Program is working on for the

Federal fleet community. For further information, please contact the identified points of contact.

OGP Vehicle Registration Project

Contact: Mike Moses at (202) 501-2507 or

mike.moses@gsa.gov

GSA’s Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP) has

developed initial requirements and methodology for a

central registration system for the 640,000 motor vehicles

that are owned and leased by Federal agencies. The

resulting system will provide a detailed inventory

database of every Federal vehicle similar to that of State

Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs).

The basic rational for the development of this project are

the need for Federal, State, and local law enforcement

officials to readily identify Federal motor vehicles in the

same ways that they identify non-Federal motor vehicles

in support of law enforcement and terrorism scenarios.

The resulting database will also provide registration

support for the issuance of Federal license plates, allow

input of vehicles into the International Justice and Public

Safety Information Network (NLETS), and increase the

accountability of vehicle operators through increased

identification and reporting.

An additional benefit of this program will allow OGP

access to detailed vehicle description and assignment

information that will provide increased analysis

possibilities of the Federal motor vehicle fleet, plus

strategies for meeting the mandates of Executive Order

13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and

Transportation Management that was issued on January

24, 2007.

OGP is developing a Working Group to assess how this

proposed system will function and how it will be

developed. If you would like to participate in this effort,

please contact Mike Moses, Project Manager.

FY 2006 Federal Fleet Report Now Online

Contact: Edward Lawler at (202) 501-3354 or

ed.lawler@gsa.gov

The Federal Fleet Report for FY 2006 is available online at

both http://www.gsa.gov/vehiclepolicy and at

https://fastweb.inel.gov/.

Senior Fleet Managers’ Meeting 

on February 22, 2007

Contact: Jim Vogelsinger at 202-501-1764 or

james.vogelsinger@gsa.gov

Agenda Item 1: 

FedFleet Organizational Structure

The reasons for considering changes to the FedFleet

structure: to bring together the agency-level fleet

executives; make the organization more inclusive and

influential in the development of a fleet strategic plan;

and, implement fleet policies that will enable the effective

and efficient management of the government-wide fleet. 

The current FedFleet membership is composed of

agencies representing different types of fleets, whose

representatives are expected to speak for their interests

(although this is no longer the case to the extent that it

once was). There are special subcommittees that deal

with particular issues and projects. Under the proposed

hierarchy, there would be a Motor Vehicle Executive

Council (MVEC), composed of all the national agency fleet

managers, along the lines of the Property Management

Executive Committee (PMEC). The level of persons to be

included in MVEC would be the senior fleet managers who

have actual fleet management responsibility. FedFleet

would report to the MVEC. Both would collaborate on

establishing strategic objectives. 

The consensus, as expressed informally by voice, was that

this was the right direction. 

Agenda Item 2: 

Executive Order 13423 Draft Instructions

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) draft instructions for

complying with EO 13423 were distributed and comments

were solicited from the agency fleet managers. On

February 23, 2007, John Hughes, the FedFleet Chair,

submitted the comments to Edwin Pinero, Federal

Environmental Executive for consideration. John advised

that we support this initiative and look forward to working

with the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, the

Council on Environmental Quality, and the Department of

Energy to achieve the goals and objectives of this

Executive Order.

Continued on page 15
15

VehicleViews

Agenda Item 3: 

Federal Vehicle Registration System

The proposed Federal Vehicle Registration System was

discussed, requirements for the project were

disseminated to the group, and volunteers were requested

to implement the first phase of this project

governmentwide by October 1, 2007. ■

UPDATE from page 14
16

VehicleViews

U.S. General Services Administration

GSA Office of Governmentwide Policy

Federal Vehicle Policy Program (MT)

Washington, DC 20405

______________________________________

Official Business

Penalty For Private Use $300

First Class Mail

Postage and Fees Paid

GSA

Permit No. G-30

http://www.gsa.gov

Vehicle

Management

Policy

Contacts

The Office of

Governmentwide Policy,

Vehicle Management Policy

Program’s mission is to ensure the

effective and efficient use of the

Federal Government’s 640,000

motor vehicles and the expenditure

of close to $2 billion annually on

fleet operations through innovative

policies, adoption of best

practices, effective

communication, and leading edge

technologies.

Acting Director

Jan Dobbs

(202) 208-6601

Connie Aaron

(202) 208-7634

Ed Lawler

(202) 501-3354

Mike Moses

(202) 501-2507

Jacquie Perry

(202) 501-3347

Jim Vogelsinger

(202) 501-1764

Please address your questions or comments concerning Vehicle Views to

the editor: Jacquie C. Perry (202) 501-3347 or by e-mail to

Jacquie.Perry@gsa.gov.

Graphic Design: Tom Pearlman

GSA Office of Citizen Services and Communications