UN Federal Workers Must Use EVs, Rail Travel, White House Says - Planes and cars are only for members of the Inner Party, not the Outer Party

By David Shepardson
December 14, 2023 7:53 PM UTC · Updated an hour ago


A general view of the White House in Washington, U.S., August 27, 2023. REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson/File photo

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - U.S. federal employees should rent electric vehicles and opt for rail trips when feasible on government travel to sharply reduce emissions, the White House said on Thursday.

In 2022, U.S. government employees spent $2.8 billion on official travel, taking more than 2.8 million flights, 2.3 million vehicle rentals and 33,000 rail trips. Federal travel accounts for 1.8% of federal greenhouse gas emissions, the White House said.

"The federal government will save taxpayers money, reduce emissions, strengthen our growing electric vehicle industry and create good-paying union jobs," said White House Council on Environmental Quality chair Brenda Mallory.

Biden in December 2021 issued an executive order directing the government to stop purchasing gas-powered vehicles by 2035 and said all light-duty federal acquisitions by 2027 should be electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV).

The White House said on Friday the federal government has acquired over 14,000 zero emission vehicles and installed 5,500 charging ports to date. General Services Administration Robin Carnahan said 19% of vehicles it purchased for government fleets this year are EVs -- up from 1% in 2021. "We're making steady progress.

The U.S. government owns more than 650,000 vehicles and purchases about 50,000 annually.

Federal employees in a directive on Thursday were told to rent EVs on official travel when costs are less or equal to comparable gas-powered vehicles and charging is accessible.

They must use rail for trips less than 250 miles (402 km)when cost-effective and feasible rather airplane. It also directs federal employees to avoid taking private vehicles for official travel.

Government employees should also opt for electric vehicle Lyft, Uber or taxi rides if available and increasing public transit use.

The memo also said the Biden administration plans to develop a sustainable aviation strategic plan including requiring airlines to submit information on fuel and operational efficiency initiatives, including sustainable aviation fuel investments.

The federal government spent $1.66 billion on flights and $4.2 million on rail trips last year.

Biden in 2021 set a goal, backed by automakers, seeking 50% of all new vehicles by 2030 to be EVs.

Source (Archive)

 

[The Backwards Man]

we should drive EV's straight into the ocean to fight climate change

 

[Car Won't Crank]

Your average TSA worker won't give ashit

 

[one sky]

"rent" god forbid they were to own anything, might start feeling important.

 

[TheDarknessGrows]

I usually ignore my bosses when they are dumb.

Haven't gotten fired yet.

 

[jertzog]

I take it they'll have their salaries slashed by 15% and be issued transport vouchers?

 

[WelperHelper99]

Look I WANT a hybrid, don't get me wrong, that mileage looks sexy to me. But mandating you NEED it for travel if your a government wagie that just shuffles papers and probably doesn't make much? Sod off

 

[Gottahavemysips]

"When cost effective" and "when equal to or less than" really weigh this down into complete uselessness territory. This goes for trains in particular, if you've ever compared Amtrak prices to a plane ticket it's just not happening unless you are on the east coast and travelling a heavily travelled route. I suppose there's a higher chance of that for federal workers, but honestly, it would be way funnier to force them to get Greyhound tickets for those distances. They are really cheap, and I want government employees to contend with the fact that these long distance bus depots are hotspots of crime and homelessness.
As for the EV part, I assume there may actually be EVs that are equal in cost, but I can't imagine those are in any kind of demand. I doubt there's many in rental fleets, unless there is some sort of gay mandate that requires them to have them. I am looking forward to articles during the winter of federal employees getting stranded on the roads after being forced to use EVs though, that'll be fun.

 

[Meat Target]

This is the kind of retarded mistake we shouldn't interrupt. If you work for this trashfire excuse of a government, you deserve to be a slave.

Plus, there will be Fedboy Flambé when their Tesla MRAPs spontaneously combust.

 

[WelperHelper99]

This is the kind of retarded mistake we shouldn't interrupt. If you work for this trashfire excuse of a government, you deserve to be a slave.

Plus, there will be Fedboy Flambé when their Tesla MRAPs spontaneously combust.

I know the last part is a half joke, but it's kinda scary how they're developing military kit that are hybrids or full electric. Explosive is a understatement

 

[Bland Crumbs]

How much gas is used on Biden's vacations?

 

[JosephStalin]

Good luck with that. Might be possible in a few areas, not in most.

 

[Lord Xenu]

I doubt there's many in rental fleets, unless there is some sort of gay mandate that requires them to have them.

In 2022 Hertz planned to have 100,000 in the fleet over the next year:

Hertz now has 35,000 Tesla vehicles and around 50,000 electric vehicles in its fleet -- far shy of the 100,000 Teslas that Hertz originally said it was ordering and expected by the end of 2022.

They announced in October 2023 that they're now reducing their EV fleet citing maintenance cost and low resale value:

It’s counter-intuitive, but even with fewer moving parts they are susceptible to requiring more maintenance. They especially require tire-swapping, because the tires wear out more quickly from that high torque and weight.”

Source (A)

 

[Peaches the Wonder Cat]

In 2022 Hertz planned to have 100,000 in the fleet over the next year:

This is a problem. Travelers are complaining that Hertz is giving them EVs when they're renting a car for road trips, or intend to do a lot of driving in areas with not many charging stations.

 

[Corpun]

Hopefully this means glowies get shanked on public transport by feral drug addicts.

 

[Snekposter]

I know the last part is a half joke, but it's kinda scary how they're developing military kit that are hybrids or full electric. Explosive is a understatement

Electric motors have been attempted as a potential powertrain ever since WW1. During WW2 both the US and Germany had gas-electric tank prototypes, the Germans with the Porsche Tiger and the US with the T1E1 Heavy Tank and the T23 medium tank. Hybrids are just the latest iteration of that. Heck, the Abrams is already known as the "Whispering Death" for how quickly its turbine noise attenuates compared to a lower-frequency diesel engine's rumble. Just imagine one that's completely silent except for the tracks and with greatly reduced thermal emissions since the ICE is shut off. Fucking stealth Abrams right there.

And yeah, the batteries are liable to explode, but so is ammo.

 

[Mordecai "3 Finger" Brown]

T1E1 Heavy Tank

I get this reference (because I wasted too much of my life playing WoT).

 

[Heed Not]

Hybrids are nice but the real problem with electrifying vehicles is that regulations and bean counting also make them look ugly as shit.
Give me a prius that looks like a Stratos or a Pantera or even an old Stingray.

 

[Myrtle the Turtle]

In 2022 Hertz planned to have 100,000 in the fleet over the next year:

Hertz got buttfucked by this move. People abuse the fuck out of rental cars, plus EVs are expensive as fuck to insure for collision insurance. People have no idea how these cars work either which means improper use rates skyrocket and cause maintenance nightmares. This was a complete lack of foresight on their part. Balance sheet losses are they only way they can learn.

 

[LeChampion1992]

Hertz got buttfucked by this move. People abuse the fuck out of rental cars, plus EVs are expensive as fuck to insure for collision insurance. People have no idea how these cars work either which means improper use rates skyrocket and cause maintenance nightmares. This was a complete lack of foresight on their part. Balance sheet losses are they only way they can learn.

It's the reliability and the amount of materials needed and synthesize have fewer required supply lines needed to make a traditional American car or truck. When you look at the logistics you could recycle most of the material and get the things that aren't recyclable by man or machine from domestic supplies plentifully.