Toronto Fire Services happy with new Toyota Highlander Hybrids

I read a column in the morning paper about this, and though I couldn't find the exact column online, I found a similar one posted a few weeks ago, actually with more detail and photos. I couldn't find any trace of this story on PC, so I'm posting it here...

"August 21, 2006

Toronto Fire Services happy with new Toyota Highlander Hybrids
By Laurance Yap

A fire chief driving a hybrid?

Well, the Toronto Fire Services asked themselves, why not? If it's fast enough, tough enough and versatile enough to meet the demanding needs of a force that supports over 170 vehicles - and if it's cheaper to run than any alternative - then why shouldn't a hybrid vehicle be the vehicle of choice? Earlier this year, the service, which is the largest in Canada and the fifth-largest in North America, marked a large step away from the traditional emergency-service car to a fleet of nine Toyota Highlander hybrid SUVs.

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The first hybrid-powered response vehicles to be used in North America, the Highlander hybrid was chosen after an intensely competitive bid process that included the typical full-size North American sedans as well as the Honda Accord hybrid. The Toyota won out because of its high performance (with better acceleration and braking than the big sedans), its high ground clearance (which allows it to climb curbs if not actually jump them), its all-wheel-drive (which will be of great use in the winter) and its versatility (it has a rear hatchback and a large cargo area that's easy to load). The Highlander is also easy to drive - with electronic stability control and ABS - and its footprint is smaller than the large sedans the service had previously used."

Rest of the article

Nice to see the city leading by example.