(AP) -- One vehicle at a time, Michigan Technological University's fleet is turning green.

The fleet manager at the Upper Peninsula school just replaced four sport utility vehicles used by admissions representatives with Ford Escapes.

The new hybrids get 34 miles per gallon, compared with the 23 mpg the SUV's got.

Fleet boss Pete Pelissero says the extra $5,000 to buy each hybrid will be paid off in one to two years of savings. His fleet has 70 vehicles, from golf carts to dump trucks, and now uses 5,000 gallons of unleaded fuel every three months.

The school generally buys about 10 vehicles a year, and Pelissero says he aims to switch all 32 of his SUVs and cars to hybrids within five years.

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