Cities coping with rising cost of fueling municipal vehicles

MINNEAPOLIS – Local governments in Minnesota are trying to find creative solutions to managing the cost of fueling their fleets of vehicles as gas prices remain high.

With gas prices recently near $5 a gallon in the Twin Cities, municipal leaders are looking for ways keep police squad cars, fire engines, dump trucks and park equipment fueled, yet stay on budget.

The city of Buffalo is urging carpooling and checking tire pressure on its vehicles to stretch a tank of gas. Earlier this summer, Minneapolis started a program that gave home inspectors the option of taking e-bikes to job sites.