D.C. mayor gets 'Smart'

WASHINGTON - While most governors and big city mayors spend their commutes behind tinted windows in the back of big black SUVs or sedans, the new official car for the leader of the nation's capital is a 2008 convertible Smart Car.

The European style two-seater made famous by environmentally-friendly celebrities like George Clooney (and of course high gas prices) arrived Thursday at City Hall. Mayor Adrian Fenty ordered his new ride about two months ago from a dealer in Tysons Corner, Va. Because of the backlog at the dealership, Fenty had to wait, just like everybody else who wants one. The city paid about $18,000 for the black "Passion" Smart Car.

Fenty says he made the switch from big to small for the same reasons that are driving many Americans to rethink what they drive, and because he wanted to lead by example.

"I think everyone should do their part, but I have to be honest, a lot of people in our government and other governments have been going in that direction, so I just consider this my own individual part of what many D.C. residents are already doing, and that's trying to go with the smallest car as humanly possible that uses as little gas as humanly possible," says Fenty.

The Smart Car gets between 33 and 45 miles per gallon.

Fenty, who routinely drives himself around the city without a security detail, says there is another good reason to have such a small car.

"It can fit into smaller parking spaces."

Fenty's City Administrator, Dan Tangherlini, uses a Ford Escape Hybrid as his city vehicle, and the Director of the District's Department of Public Works, Bill Howland, drives an alternative fuel vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley uses one of those dark SUVs, but it too runs on alternative fuel.

D.C. Council Chair Vincent Gray drives a Chevy Tahoe, which gets 13 miles to the gallon. The $40,000 SUV was paid for by D.C. taxpayers.

Speaking on WTOP's Politics Program with Mark Plotkin, Gray said he rarely uses the vehicle.

"It only has 1,300 miles on it"

When asked whether the D.C. Council should switch to a more fuel efficient car like Fenty's, Gray said, "we'll look at that."

Fenty needed a little help from Tangherlini when he first got into the car.

"I don't even know where you start this darn thing, where do you start it, Dan?"

Once Fenty got the car started, he took WTOP for his first drive down Pennsylvania Avenue. People shouted, some made fun of the little car, but everyone noticed.

"People like it, Tangherlini," Fenty exclaimed when he pulled back into his parking space, "They like our car."

The city administrator then showed the Mayor how to take off the top and put it back on. Tangherlini says the District is considering buying more alternative fuel vehicles.

Because he's the mayor, Fenty's ride has one option that most Smart Cars don't have. He had flashing lights and a siren installed.

One more observation, when the mayor started the car and the radio came on, it was set to 103.5 FM, WTOP Radio. Of course, it was not a mayoral endorsement of the station, as it was Fenty's first time behind the wheel.

(Copyright 2008 by WTOP. All rights reserved.)