New College of Florida has entered into partnership with Sarasota-based Cruise Car, Inc. to explore the College’s transition to a fleet of solar-powered electric hybrid vehicles for use on campus tours, as part of the College’s maintenance fleet and for development of a campus-wide shuttle system.
The high-tech, cutting edge vehicles, which transport from four to fourteen passengers, debuted this past weekend as part of the College’s Charter Class Reunion activities, celebrating the 45th anniversary of New College’s first entering class. The Education Channel of the Sarasota County School Board filmed the kickoff event for their show, “Going Green,” which highlights leading edge, local sustainable efforts. Air dates for the show will be announced shortly.
Cruise Car, Inc. produces solar electric hybrid vehicles locally and sells them world wide to local governments, military bases, national parks, colleges, resorts and corporate campuses. Throughout the world, these vehicles are demonstrating the ecological and economical benefits of moving from the gasoline pump to the plug.
The New College-Cruise Car sustainable transportation partnership includes an evaluation of the College’s fleet vehicles and their usage; identification of student transportation patterns on campus; and the determination with campus leaders as to where solar-powered vehicles might be incorporated into the campus environment to lower the College’s carbon footprint.
According to New College Foundation President Andrew Walker, who helped broker the College’s arrangement with Cruise Car, the partnership is an effort to “lower transportation costs, lower our transportation carbon footprint and clearly declare New College and its students’ commitment to sustainability.”
“The New College partnership with Cruise Car – Eco Trans Alliance is establishing a prototypical methodology that will help other college campuses go solar,” according to Mary Anne Bowie, FAICP, Sustainability Leader for Eco Trans Alliance, who is leading the study for Cruise Car, Inc.
Jono Miller, former director of environmental studies and currently a special assistant to the vice-president for finance and administration at New College, is coordinating the study for New College. The study is expected to take several months to complete.
For more information on New College’s new partnership with Cruise Car, Inc., please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (941) 487-4153 or email: [email protected]. For more information on Cruise Car, Inc., please visit their website at http://www.cruisecarinc.com.