Ryder (R) is working hard to expand its Green Fleet. The company recently announced it has ordered over 200 trucks powered by compressed natural gas. Ryder’s all-new fleet of hybrid trucks will help the company and its customers to maximize fuel efficiency while minimizing costs, and reduce vehicle emissions – a win-win for the environment and the bottom line.
The Green Fleet project started in April 2010. Ryder expects to have the entire Green Fleet of CNG vehicles on the road by September, 2011.
Recently the price of oil and gas has skyrocketed, nuclear energy has been under intense scrutiny due to the meltdown in Japan, and opposition to ethanol has increased due to its potentially negative effect on the world’s food supply. Therefore, natural gas is becoming a truly viable option for U.S. energy needs.
When traveling at low speeds, the hybrid electric motor supplies power to the truck, resulting in reduced fuel consumption and emissions. According to Ryder, natural gas is a domestic resource and it is 25 percent cleaner than the cleanest diesel. When your company commits to going Green with CNG vehicles, you demonstrate corporate and environmental responsibility and business savvy.
Today there are approximately 150,000 natural gas vehicles operating in the US, out of about 250 million vehicles total. There are roughly 180,000 gasoline stations in the US, but there are only about 1,000 natural gas stations. This is the big hurdle that CNG vehicles will have to overcome. Ryder said the company is also planning to build two natural gas stations.
Ryder is proud of its innovative approach to improving fleet fuel efficiency. The company says they combine cutting edge engineering and fleet tracking tools, proactive driver training, and eco-friendly tractor and trailer features to help you implement more fuel-efficient business strategy and operations.
The $38 million Green Fleet Management project will be funded as part of a joint public-private partnership between the US Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, and Ryder. Ryder is investing over $19 million into the Green Fleet project. Another $19 million will be funded by US state and federal sources.
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If you own or operate a fleet and are interested in improving fuel efficiency, cutting costs and reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions, check out the the FieldLogix Green Fleet Management System.
For more information on Ryder’s Green Fleet Initiatives, check out the Ryder website.