Networkfleet, a provider of wireless fleet management, announced that the City of Napa, California, has received a grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to install Networkfleet wireless fleet management to reduce harmful vehicle emissions. The awarding of this grant recognizes Networkfleet’s ability to improve air quality by continuously monitoring emissions status while reducing engine idle time and fuel usage, the company says.
The grant was awarded through the Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency.
Networkfleet combines GPS location tracking with diagnostic monitoring to give fleets a complete and accurate picture of their vehicle operations. By connecting directly to a vehicle’s onboard computer (OBD-II), Networkfleet performs a complete EPA-mandated emissions control system check every four hours of vehicle run-time. Fleet managers are notified immediately of emissions control system failures. Networkfleet also monitors excess engine idling and improves fuel efficiency by identifying unnecessary vehicle use and poor driving habits.
With the awarding of this grant, the City of Napa will be able to complete its installation of Networkfleet on all light-duty city vehicles. These vehicles are used by the police, fire, water, streets and community resources departments. Networkfleet has also enabled the City of Napa to enroll in California’s Continuous Testing Program (CTP). Rather than checking emissions every two years at a smog check facility, the city can instantly identify vehicles that are out of compliance and get them repaired.
“Before using Networkfleet, one of our vehicles could go out of compliance the day after a smog check and we might not know it,” said Chris Burgeson, fleet manager for the City of Napa. “Now I am notified by e-mail and can fix it right away. This insures we have no polluting vehicles on the road. We will also be able to use Networkfleet to improve routing efficiency for our fleet. For example, when we have a water problem, we can immediately identify which crew is closest to the location and dispatch them.”
The Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency (NCTPA) serves as the program manager for the Transportation Fund for Air Quality to help promote air quality in the Napa region. The NCTPA also works with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to coordinate funds from the Transportation Development Act (TDA) for transit, paratransit, streets and roads, and bicycle projects. The BAAQMD (District) is the regional, government agency that regulates sources of air pollution within the nine San Francisco Bay Area Counties.
