Author

Allison Carr

Allison Carr is an air quality planner with the Houston-Galveston Area Council. She has worked with the Council since 2010 and has served as Clean Cities coordinator since 2011. Carr actively supports multiple air quality programs that have a common goal of reducing pollutant emissions and improving regional air quality. She has also collaborated on Sustainable Communities regional planning activities in the Houston area.
  • Resources

    4 Alternative-fuel Options

    Use of fuel-efficient and alternative-fuel cargo vans and pickup trucks is one of the most immediate ways contractors can cut fuel costs and decrease pollutant emissions. Along with the purchasing of such vehicles, other light-duty vehicles can also be replaced or converted. Many fuels and vehicles are currently available: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) – Light- and heavy-duty CNG conversions are available for trucks, vans and SUVs from Chrysler, Ford, Isuzu and General Motors. “Bi-fuel vehicles” offer the flexibility of switching to diesel or gasoline, and “dedicated vehicles” run only on CNG. Conversion kit prices range from $7,000 for light-duty trucks to $25,000 for heavy-duty trucks and can be purchased through and installed by dealerships and conversion companies. The conversions must be certified by the Environmental...

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  • Technology

    3 Ways to Reduce Fuel Consumption

    Fleet managers, contractors and drivers have a variety of tools for reducing costs, fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. Maintenance – Basic maintenance practices like proper tire inflation, using the recommended motor oil and regular engine tune-ups can improve fuel economy. Other technologies can enhance operational efficiency by tracking replacement parts, maintaining records of vehicle mileage and managing a comprehensive maintenance program. Idle Reduction – Each year, U.S. passenger cars, light trucks, medium-duty trucks and heavy-duty vehicles consume more than 6 billion gallons of diesel fuel and gasoline without even moving. Such idling can be reduced without affecting operations or driver comfort. GPS systems and telematics can provide real-time information to help influence driver behavior by providing reminders to encourage idling reduction. Auxiliary power systems can...

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