Charlotte Wins 2024 Green Fleet Award for Sustainability Efforts
UNC Charlotte has earned high praise from the National Association of Fleet Administrators with a 2024 Green Fleet Award. The award, highlighting outstanding fleet sustainability practices, was revealed at the recent Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference and Expo held in Durham, North Carolina.
The Green Fleet Awards celebrate organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to environmentally friendly fleet operations. These accolades are given to those who adopt innovative and effective strategies to reduce their environmental impact.
This year, UNC Charlotte stood out as one of only four universities to receive the Green Fleet Award. The University of California, Irvine; the University of Virginia; and the University of California, Los Angeles also made the list, along with the city of Charlotte.
“UNC Charlotte is committed to fleet sustainability,” said Marc Casanova, assistant director of fleet, warehouse, and logistics. “We have one of the largest electric vehicle fleets of any college campus, and we are a leader in procurement and maintenance of low-speed electric vehicles.”
In the past two years, the university has made significant strides in green technology, acquiring 54 new electric vehicles. This includes 37 MAX-EVs and 14 Mullen vans for campus operations, primarily replacing older gasoline vehicles that were more than 15 years old. Additionally, UNC Charlotte has upgraded its early low-speed electric vehicles from lead-acid to lithium-based batteries. This transition has improved both vehicle range and lifespan, and it has also facilitated plug-sharing, which eases the demand on EV chargers.
The 2024 Green Fleet Award underscores UNC Charlotte’s leadership in sustainable fleet management and its role as a pioneer in green initiatives within higher education.