Oak Park's department of public works hosted a Green Fleet Expo on June 12 to introduce local government leaders to the new types of alternative-fuel vehicles on the market today.

The event was organized by Ron Fantetti, the village's fleet services supervisor.

"The reason I came up with this is because there's a big push to go green, but there seems to be a lack of understanding as what is really out there," Fantetti said.

With that in mind, the village invited representatives from all over Chicago to view vehicles from manufacturers large and small.

"It was for the decision-makers: mayors, trustees, department heads," Fantetti said.

The expo was unique in that officials were able to test-drive the various vehicles on hand.

In addition to popular electric models such as the Segway, the expo also featured a number of full-size hybrid utility vehicles, including a hybrid tow truck from International Harvester and a hybrid transit van from Ford Motor Co.

About 110 visitors came from communities around the area, including Algonquin, Franklin Park, Naperville, Flossmore, Hanover Park, Wheaton, Rolling Meadows, Evanston, Orland Park, Lisle and Elmwood Park.

The Illinois Green Fleets Program is a statewide initiative to increase the adoption of energy-efficient vehicles in municipal fleets. For more information about the program, visit www.illinoisgreenfleets.org.

—By Patrick W. Rollens | Triblocal.com reporter

—Photos by Leslie Boehms