AUSTIN, TEXAS - Thirty-one City of Austin vehicles will soon be outfitted with energy-saving power generators, thanks to a $198,090 grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, reported the Austin Business Journal.

The City of Austin Transportation Department is in the process of installing the auxiliary power units on cars designated for sign, markings, and signal maintenance. The 110-volt batteries allow workers to plug in power tools and other equipment for up to eight hours without having to keep the engine idling.

The City has enough funding for about half its transportation fleet. The department will evaluate the performance and savings from the units for a year before deciding whether to purchase enough for all trucks, reported the Austin Business Journal.