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Ogden launches 'Idle Free' month push with EV chargers, fleet electrification and student outreach
Summary
City staff and partners outlined February's Idle Free month actions including new public EV chargers, three electric city fleet vehicles paid by a $145,000 grant, expanded bike-share stations and school outreach aimed at reducing transportation emissions.
Ogden City officials and partners opened the Feb. 4 council meeting to outline the city’s Idle Free month campaign focused on reducing transportation-related air pollution.
Lorenzo Long, Ogden City sustainability coordinator, told the council the city opened four public electric-vehicle charging stations this year, with two additional chargers planned at Marshall White and more under consideration at the Wonder Block parking structure. “Electric vehicles don't produce tailpipe emissions,” Long said, noting the importance of charging infrastructure as adoption grows.
Long said the city secured roughly $145,000 in grant funding to procure three electric fleet vehicles and the associated charging infrastructure. “We got a grant, about $145,000 and with that money, we were able to purchase 3 electric vehicles for our fleet, as well as the charging infrastructure for those vehicles,” he said. The new vehicles are fitted with Geotab telematics devices to gather operational data that staff plan to use to inform broader fleet electrification decisions.
Ogden School District and Weber State partners joined the presentation. Chair Bates said the district is pressing employees and school bus vendors to reduce idling, including collaboration with First Student to enforce anti‑idling practices. Allie Brown, Weber State University’s student zero‑waste coordinator, described campus successes reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gases and said the university actively **promotes use of OGX electric buses** and other alternative transit.
City staff also highlighted micromobility: Ogden’s green bike program now has 10 stations and large ridership gains year over year, with e‑bikes comprising most new trips. Long noted that 41% of bike trips occurred on the Ogden River Parkway and emphasized that more trips by bike or EV reduce PM2.5 and other transportation emissions.
The council and presenters said outreach during Idle Free month will include social media messaging, bilingual materials for parents, student‑led projects such as STEM measurements or art campaigns, and council members visiting schools to model behavior.
City staff framed the work as part of a broader strategy connected to the mayor’s “Ogden Way” framework and the city’s air‑quality priorities. No formal action was taken; the session was informational and intended to publicize February activities.
