HOUSTON -- In case you haven’t noticed, Houston is going green.

The city has been buying eco-friendly vehicles – all hybrids with the city seal on the door – and now the fleet is paying off.

The vehicles were initially purchased as part of Houston’s clean air initiative.

But with today’s prices at the pump, the investment is paying off  twofold, with lower fuel costs as well as cleaner air.

Houston was one of the first to acquire hybrid cars seven years ago.  Now 40 percent of the city’s non-emergency vehicles are either Toyota Priuses or Ford Escapes.

Veteran Public Works Inspector Charles Mitchell drives one of the Escapes.

He said at first he wasn’t sure the SUV would be able to cut it, but he changed his mind after he took it for a spin.

He said he also noticed he wasn’t making as many fuel stops during the week.

The city estimates it saves 250,000 gallons of gas for a total savings of $800,000 a year with the hybrids.

“The other thing we noticed is it’s quieter. You have the engine cut off, you’re strictly electric, and they’re very comfortable that way. They have a great maintenance record. We actually have less maintenance with these vehicles than with some of the sub-compacts in the past,” Allen Largent, Assistant Director of Public Works, said.

Largent said the savings will continue to grow as the city transitions its older fleet of vehicles to new hybrids.

The city also has two diesel-electric dump trucks that will be hitting the streets soon.