Highlander Hybrid: Serving the Public Good in More Ways Than One
Exceptionally high gas mileage, along with exceptionally low emissions. For the very same reasons the Highlander Hybrid is such a hit with the American public, the innovative vehicle has become the choice of an entire California town's fleet.
Earlier this year, Lindsay, a small town nestled at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Central California, purchased 22 Highlander Hybrid vehicles from a dozen different Toyota dealers. Of the 22 new vehicles, 15 are used by the police, three by the fire department and four by city administrators or as pool vehicles. According to Kindon Meik, who manages the Office of Community Development, making the decision to switch from the previous fleet, comprised primarily of Ford Crown Victoria sedans, was easy. After qualifying for federal Congestion and Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds, which help localities seek ways to reduce emissions that improve air quality, they realized they could get the additional long-term benefit of significant fuel savings versus the old models by going with the Highlander Hybrids.

"All our officers just love the vehicles," says Meik. "Plus, when using them for educational purposes, as when firemen speak inside a classroom or similar venue, they don't need to waste fuel or resources taking a big truck."

"To our knowledge, "says Lindsay Mayor Ed Murray, "we are the only city in the state, if not the nation, that has replaced their traditional gas-guzzling police sedans with an innovative low-emission fleet of police and fire hybrids."

As part of its focus on innovation and the environment, Lindsay has also purchased seven natural gas pickup trucks for the city's public works department and five golf-cart-like electric vehicles for maintenance. In addition, the school acquired eight electric vehicles for general use.

In an era of ever-rising gas prices and ever-shrinking government budgets, switching to Toyota Highlander Hybrids is the responsible choice for at least one town. Look for more municipalities in the future to follow Lindsay's lead.