Warner Bros. goes hybrid

With their studio fleet buzzing around the city to deliver contracts and scripts throughout the day, Warner Bros. staff sought out a way to cut down on the vehicles’ pollution.

A month ago, and after dissatisfaction with existing hybrids on the lot, 23 Toyota Priuses were added to the studio’s courier fleet.

“We had invested in Ford Escape hybrids but were not happy with their mileage. We were only getting about 27 mpg,” said Jon Gilbert, president of Warner Bros. studio facilities. “We felt we could do better, and we identified the Priuses as meeting our needs . . . We’ve only had them a month, and we’ve found that they average 40 mpg.”

The Priuses make up a little more than half of the courier’s total vehicles, and staff is looking at purchasing more next year, Gilbert said.

“We probably drive these courier vehicles 20[,000] to 30,000 miles a year, and the Priuses save us thousands of gallons of gas,” he said.

Dispatch systems have also been installed in each of the Priuses so drivers can travel to another assignment without having to return to the lot, Gilbert said.

The fleet is one of the several environmentally conscious measures that Warner Bros. has implemented over the past 16 years, said Shelley Billik, vice president of environmental initiatives for Warner Bros.

“Historically, there has been a misconception that anything you do for the environment is not good for business, and we are trying to demonstrate exactly the opposite,” Billik said. “The hybrids not only reduce emissions but they also save the fleet money.”