Are Hybrids Worthwhile on Limo Fleets

Are Hybrids Worthwhile on Limo Fleets

Adding hybrid limousines to their fleets is a simple and effective way for limousine hire companies to reduce their emissions and be seen to be consciously helping to reduce their company's carbon footprint. However, converting to hybrid limousines isn't always an option, and not always just because of its viability.

The CEO of Valera Global in New York had what the press have coined as a green headache'; when there is so much pressure from government with extra emissions taxes, as well as from passengers to make changes, which is the best option?

Robert Mackasek had seen his competitors in the limo hire industry at the big industry trade shows, showing off their newest fleet additions, the popularly green' Toyota Prius hybrids. However, he knew that his competitors still had fleets full of Hummer limousines, stretch Lincoln Town Cars and Mercedes-Benz S550 limos, and this CEO did not see the point of spending all of that money on upgrading his fleet to cars which would not be as popular.

While people make noise about how they want to save the environment and how much limousines effect the emissions, they also don't want to give up any of the luxury and style of traditional limousines, and you just can't get that from a Toyota. So Mackasek also didn't see the point in buying a fleet of hybrid luxury cars which his passengers would be reluctant to use, just so he could be seen to be doing something' when what he was doing wasn't really making a difference.

So Valera joined the Chicago Climate Exchange which calls itself the world's first voluntary, and legally binding, greenhouse gas emissions registry, reduction and trading system. As a member, the Valera limousine hire company in New York is bound to monitor and report on its carbon emissions to the CCX. The emissions of the limousine fleet are measured, as are the movements of staff and management when they fly for conferences for example, as well as the daily operations of the business.

The limousine hire company is then required to pay for CCX approved programs to help battle climate change and carbon emissions, things like wind or solar energy projects, making a real difference to the environment. While physically paying for the emissions your limousines produce by supporting environmentally friendly energy alternatives may be a great marketing tool, it's not hurting the environment either.