With gas prices surpassing the $4 mark across the country, we're all painfully aware of the importance of fuel conservation through the use of cars with better gas mileage--fueling up takes a direct hit on people's wallets each day. But an article that ran in the Boston Globe this morning made me wonder: what about governmental fiscal conservation and gas consumption--are the powers that be looking out for the best way to save money on the fuel they use in cars used for public safety and other government affairs?
The Globe article I'm referencing was titled, "Nice Car, Officer! Now About That Ticket..." and discussed the Massachusetts State Police's decision to purchase 54 Dodge Chargers, which get about 15 mpg in the city, and 23 on the highway--same as the old school Ford Crown Vics they'd been using for years. While the Charger is pretty menacing looking (perfect for the State Police), I wonder not only about its impact on criminals, but also the cost of fueling a car like that (paid for by the residents of Massachusetts). This isn't really an issue of "going green" or not--it's an issue of fuel costs. For comparison's sake, a four-door Toyota Prius, the best-selling hybrid in the U.S., gets 48 miles per gallon in the city, and 45 on the highway (according to our government, which has a list of the most and least efficient cars). Wouldn't it make more sense to select a car that was at least a balance of pure brawn and fuel consumption?
A little more than a month ago, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed the Green Communities Act, which I blogged about. Aside from the double standard of touting the benefits of green and then allowing your State Police officers to buy 54 fuel inefficient cars, isn't anyone curious to know how we'll foot the bill for the cost of fueling the 54 Chargers? The writers at the Boston Globe definitely weren't--they didn't even bring the issue up in today's article.
The Dodge Charger is a beast, and it's good for chasing bad guys. But with the soaring cost of fuel, we can't afford to purchase cars for public safety on looks alone.
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