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FREMONT, California - February 23, 2007 - Couriers for Fremont Bank log between 2,500 and 3,000 miles each per month as they go about picking up and delivering documents between the bank and its customers using bank-owned vehicles.

But since December, each of the bank's six couriers have been navigating the streets and freeways of the Bay Area in a more environmentally-friendly ride - the Prius Hybrid car - reducing costs to both the planet and the bank.

Fremont Bank, which prides itself on being the Bay Area's most progressive full-service community bank, has for years provided door-to-door courier service for its business customers. Now, as the bank's drivers make their daily rounds, they're doing it much more cleanly in cars that emit 80 percent less carbon dioxide than standard internal combustion vehicles.

The move is in keeping with the bank's overall goal of being a "good corporate citizen" by lowering the environmental impact on communities where it operates, notes Kevi Grier, director of Central Operations and Logistics Services for Fremont Bank.

"Being a community committed bank, we always consider as part of our strategic planning the impact of our operations on the neighborhoods where we do business," Grier says. "But beyond that, operating more cleanly is in keeping with our interest in reflecting the consciousness of our communities. Because we're not a big, out-of-state bank, all our employees come from and live in our service areas and so have a vested interest in working to better their environment."

Each Prius gets more than 45 miles per gallon in highway driving and more than 50 miles per gallon in city driving, versus about 30 miles per gallon for highway driving and 26 miles per gallon for city driving for the previous fleet says John Mendoes, logistics service manager for Fremont Bank. "We're already experiencing significant savings of nearly $1,000 per month in gasoline and we were able to secure commuter lane passes for each driver, so we're saving big on both time and money."

Mendoes adds that the bank was also able to secure federal tax credits for some of the vehicles and got a volume discount for purchasing multiple vehicles. Moreover, the four-door sedan vehicles are safer. "Each car is equipped with both front and side air bags," he notes. "The drivers like them better because of the added safety features," Mendoes says that the bank also equipped each vehicle with other protective bells and whistles such as alarms that sound when drivers are backing up.

Making Every Day Earth Day

As Earth Day rolls around again next month, corporations and media will be creating more intensive awareness of global warming and other environmental problems and demonstrating solutions to some of those problems. But while this is a positive event, the key is systematic, relentless effort and a commitment to the concepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle, notes Grier.

"Every day should be Earth Day," says Grier. "Fremont Bank looks for every opportunity in its daily activity to support environmentally sensitive choices."

Putting hybrid cars into service is one of those choices, along with many others. For example, Grier points out that the bank's efforts in recycling, reusing and reducing consumption, are "very entrepreneurial in terms of what we're willing to try.

"Because we're not a big institution we are very nimble and we can try new ways of doing things without a huge cost impact," says Grier. She cites as one example, the recent elimination of the print version of the bank's employee publication. "We included this publication, along with other publications and internal order forms on our existing employee Intranet that serves as a company-wide communications tool. This enabled us to eliminate a lot of paper; It cost us very little and saved tree fiber."

Other areas where Fremont Bank excels in reuse, recycling and reduction include:

Paper Recycling - Last year Fremont Bank shredded and recycled just under 185 tons of paper, saving approximately 3,139 trees, according to a recycling vendor that works with Fremont Bank. Fremont Bank is in the midst of an ongoing initiative to convert to a paperless business environment. The bank also enhances customer privacy and security by recycling paper through a secured vendor.

Cartridge/Toner Recycling - In 2006, Fremont Bank recycled nearly 1,000 fax, copier, and printer cartridges, and 20 fax machines and computer printers, diverting about 3,500 pounds of toxic waste from landfills.

Water and Electricity - Programs for highly energy efficient workspace lighting and water saving devices for company facilities, from gardens to restrooms, are either in operation or being implemented in the near future.

Computer Recycling - Last year, the bank recycled more than 200 desk and laptop computers, which are refurbished by a vendor and placed back into service in other companies, or the parts removed and the plastic shells ground to be used as recycled plastic. Used cell phones and desktop phones are also recycled.

Check Imaging - As an institution, Fremont Bank has been at the forefront of check imaging, the practice of digitally storing check images, with an eye toward creating a paperless statement for customers. The bank currently images and stores not only checks, but also other documents.