As fuel prices rise, Naperville looks at diversification of vehicle fleet

Naperville officials planned for an increase in fuel prices as they developed the 2022 budget, but it was difficult to foresee the kind of surge that is occurring now.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other factors created energy uncertainty and an unexpected rise in costs, causing city officials to look closer at the diversification in Naperville's fleet of vehicles.

During Budget Director Ray Munch's monthly update to the city council, he noted an annual increase of 28% in gas and diesel prices, a 95% jump in natural gas prices and a 39% boost in the cost of vehicle parts.

"We're now starting to see the impacts of that inflation on some of the goods the city purchases on a regular basis," Munch said. "The good news here is some of these things we saw coming when we put the budget together."

He said the city built a 13% increase in fuel costs into the 2022 budget. The city also locked in natural gas rates a year ahead of time, mitigating the rapid rise in costs.

Despite the planning, city council members still are concerned about the price spikes.

"We have vehicles that are natural gas," Councilwoman Patty Gustin said. "At a 95% increase, that's significant."

According to city officials, there are 411 vehicles in Naperville's fleet of on-road autos, trucks and vans, not including heavy equipment. Unleaded gasoline is used in 249 vehicles while 120 are diesel-powered, 31 are hybrid, six are electric, three vehicles run on natural gas and two are powered by propane.

With the city's commitment to sustainability, there's an expectation that those numbers will shift away from unleaded gas and diesel, and toward cleaner fuels. The diversity of the fleet is helping offset the recent uncertainty in the energy climate.

"I think we're on the right track having a diversified fleet like that," Mayor Steve Chirico said. "It makes total sense. I think it was a good strategy. A great strategy, as it turns out."

Dick Dublinski, the city's director of public works, said the diversification of the fleet means residents won't notice a difference in city services.

"We use natural gas, we use electric, we use hybrid, we use hybrid diesel," Dublinski said. "We do that because of (fuel costs). We want to find the best way to do things.

"It's going to be business as usual until we see a major difference (in prices)," he said.