Five, new electric vehicles are being used by workers to spruce up downtown sidewalks and erase graffiti in Stockton.
Among the other services it provides, the Downtown Stockton Alliance keeps downtown presentable using a fleet of maintenance vehicles on a mission to scrub away dirt and graffiti.
A $100,000 grant from the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District has allowed the Alliance to replace the old fleet of gas-powered carts with the new electric Polaris Ranger buggies.
Alliance Director Troy Broddrick says the savings are significant.
"Last year our fuel expenditure was $17,000 but the big savings is the sustainability and the long term effect it has environmentally here in downtown." -- Tony Broddrick, director, Downtown Stockton Alliance
Broddrick says with the retirement of the old gas-powered carts the Alliance is also saving on maintenance costs. The four-wheel drive vehicles are quiet on the street and can haul up to 1,700 pounds of cargo.
"There is really no noise pollution, they are very quiet, we use it to bring our equipment downtown and it also drops the noise level quite a bit from the former motorized vehicles that we had in the past and so it's just a nice addition to what we are doing downtown." -- Tony Broddrick
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