City of Cayce Commits to Reducing Pollution and Saving Gas

CAYCE, SC – May 19, 2008 – The City of Cayce has introduced a new Anti-Idling Policy, to get employees driving city vehicles to turn off the engine as a way to cut down on the consumption of gasoline and diesel fuel.  The policy will also reduce pollutants that are harmful to air quality.

Idling vehicles consume approximately 17% of fuel that a vehicle has on board. The break-even point for shutting off and restarting gasoline engines or leaving it to idle is 30 seconds.  This new policy is financially beneficial to the city and should save thousands of dollars in the future.  Idling is destructive to a car’s engine and this policy will cut down on the maintenance of the city’s fleet and improve the value and lifetime of the Cayce’s vehicles

The City of Cayce used 56,452 gallons of unleaded gasoline from July 2007 through April 2008.   Vehicles using bio-diesel fuel burned nearly 48,000 gallons, from July 2007-April 2008.  Based on reduced usage, Cayce hopes to save about $60,000 total in fuel consumption.

“Cayce has long been committed to protecting the environment and enhancing the quality of life for our citizens,” said Mayor Avery Wilkerson. “This new policy makes good business sense for the taxpayers and helps improve air quality in our community. It’s a win-win for all.”

The new policy does not affect certain Public Safety vehicles which idling may be necessary in order to fulfill their work, such as emergency vehicles, patrol cars, utility vehicles and sanitation trucks.

For more information about the City of Cayce, visit www.cityofcayce-sc.gov.