Franklin's electric car is drawing attention

Getting a parking ticket in Franklin, Tenn., just got a whole lot cuter. As part of the city’s “Go Green” effort, the Franklin Police Department purchased an electric car to enforce parking in the historic downtown area and nearby parking garages.

The City’s Municipal Services Action Plan on Alternative Fuel and Energy focuses on adding a variety of alternative fuel vehicles to the city’s fleet for purposes of both fuel efficiency and emissions reduction. Franklin’s Sustainability Task Force that includes initiatives for the entire community has chosen to replace 5 percent of the vehicles registered in the City of Franklin with vehicles that use alternative energy sources by 2012.

“It’s our goal to be one of the top 25 sustainable cities in the country,” Alderman Ken Moore said. “The City’s Sustainability Task Force, made up of citizens and city staff, has been working hard all year to create an action plan and begin this process.  This car symbolizes one of the first of many steps in achieving our goal and leading by example to the rest of our community.”

“I’m proud to say our City staff is working to live green and work green,” said Franklin City Administrator Eric Stuckey. “In our budget for fiscal year 2009-2010, every department laid out sustainability goals and we are well on our way to being a leading city in sustainability in the Southeast. We’ll soon have a full time position focused on sustainability for both our city departments and Franklin as a whole.”

Parking enforcement officer Russell Morris says his new car definitely gets attention.  “People point and look whenever I drive by; sometimes tourists stop taking a photo of the sites and take a picture of my car. It’s been a really good reaction, and it rides well too!”

For more information, contact Franklin Communications Director Milissa Reierson at milissa.reierson@franklintn.gov.