Ryder CNG truck leased to 99Cents
Ryder System, Inc., a commercial transportation and supply chain management solutions provider in the United States, has achieved a significant milestone with its fleet of 250 natural gas vehicles surpassing six million miles (9.6 million kilometres). The fleet consists of 35 liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 215 compressed natural gas (CNG) tractors, currently running in 32 customer operations in California, Arizona, and Michigan. Since deploying its natural gas truck program in 2011, the vehicles have replaced approximately 923,000 gallons of diesel fuel with domestically produced natural gas and reduced emissions by more than 2,300 MTCO2e (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions).
“Ryder is uniquely positioned to help the alternative fuel vehicle industry reach critical mass,” said Greg Swienton, Chairman and CEO of Ryder. “Our commercial rental and leasing model enables businesses to take advantage of these new technologies with less downtime and other risks associated with ownership. We will continue to help businesses jump-start their alternative fuel programs with innovative solutions that drive both environmental and cost-saving benefits.”
Ryder became the first outsourced fleet provider to offer heavy duty natural gas vehicles for the leasing and rental industry through a groundbreaking natural gas vehicle project with the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) in Southern California. As part of the project, Ryder is building two natural gas fueling stations and has equipped three maintenance facilities for the indoor servicing of natural gas vehicles in Fontana, Orange, and Rancho Dominguez, Calif. The $38.7 million project is being funded as part of a joint public/private industry partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, and Ryder.
In Ryder’s 2011 Corporate Sustainability Report, Mark Smith, U.S. Dept. of Energy, Vehicle Technologies Deployment Manager, says: “The outlook for natural gas is good. Petroleum prices are high and natural gas prices are low. With the new corridor in Southern California, we have a backbone from the West Coast to Salt Lake City. Smaller corridors are going in around the country. Once we connect them up, we will begin to reach the critical mass we need to bring costs down for vehicles and infrastructure. Ryder is to be commended for helping show that alternative fuels don’t need to be “alternative” forever. They can be part of a smart transportation strategy for successful companies.”
(This article compiled using information supplied by Ryder System, Inc.)
