Downtown's Clean & Safe Team Uses Electric Vehicles

In an effort to further implement the idea of a “clean and green” downtown, friendly towards walkers and cyclers, Downtown Stockton Alliance (DSA) have purchased five Polaris Ranger Electric Vehicles. These EVs will be used by the DSA’s trained operators to move staff, equipment, and make deliveries throughout downtown starting in July 2013.

Purchase of the vehicles was fully funded by a public benefit grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. The program has been designed to meet the needs and challenges faced by the San Joaquin Valley public institutions and provide a wide variety of clean-air projects directly benefitting Valley residents.

“We are excited to introduce the fleet of electric Rangers on the streets of Downtown Stockton. Our Board of Directors supports this green technology which is in line with their vision of sustainable, green downtown, and a long term vision of our future,” commented Troy Broddrick, DSA’s Interim Manager.

Replacing loud, gasoline-powered John Deere Gators with the electric vehicles also supports DSA’s cost-cutting efforts. In the past two years alone, the DSA has spent over $17,000 in gasoline. Additionally, expenses were increasing to maintain aging “gators.”

“DSA has done our best to be as fiscally responsible as possible and ‘tighten the belt’ where appropriate in addition to reducing our carbon footprint. With gasoline being such an expensive commodity and gasoline vehicles having an impact on the environment, we began researching electric vehicles to eventually phase out the John Deere Gators,” says Nick Trulsson, DSA’s Operations Manager.

Polaris Ranger EV can carry cargo up to 1,700 lbs; it has a four-wheel drive; and the tail lights are low energy LED. To meet DSA’s needs, the vehicles are charged only once a day. Once the charging box hits full capacity, it shuts down avoiding unnecessary power usage.

Downtown Stockton Alliance’s electric vehicles are following a trend initiated in the Valley by other companies. UPS and FedEx introduced their electric delivery trucks to Stockton in the fall/winter of 2012 while San Joaquin RTD initiated fully electric bus routes in June of 2013.