UPS Commits to Large Scale Alternative Energy CNG Fleet

April 21st, 2015 by Fiedler Group

In a bold move in the progress toward reliance on alternative fueled vehicles, UPS announced plans to add 1,400 new compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles to its fleet.

The new vehicles represent a 30 percent increase in alternative fuel vehicles to UPS’ existing worldwide fleet of over 5,000 vehicles and are expected to displace approximately 54 million gallons of conventional diesel and gasoline annually.

The trucks are expected to be a mix of approximately 800 Kenworth tractors and 600 Freightliner package cars, all fueled by CNG.

The world’s largest package delivery service and supply chain management provider also announced plans to build 12 new alternative fuel stations (built in partnership with TruStar Energy) and refurbish three other stations.

While UPS already has CNG fueling stations in California, Colorado, Georgia, and Oklahoma, the new stations will be located in new natural gas vehicle deployment areas, while the existing CNG fuel stations (in Atlanta, Denver, and Oklahoma City) will be enhanced with more robust equipment.

UPS plans to deploy the new vehicles throughout the country, in 15 cities: Atlanta, Charleston, Dallas, Denver, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City, and in Doraville, Ga.; Lenexa, Kans.; Lexington, Ky.; Montgomery, Ala.; New Stanton, Pa.; Port Allen, La.; Shreveport, La.; and Richmond and Roanoke, Va.

According to Mitch Nichols, UPS senior transportation and engineering Vice President, the company’s investment in a large scale alternative energy fleet has fueled the company to avoiding “more than 34 million gallons of conventional fuels since 2000.”

He continued, “Today’s CNG announcement demonstrates UPS’s plans to expand use of widely available natural gas. CNG is an important building block in our long-term fleet strategy and offers environmental and economic advantages.”

The alternative fuel fleet initiative is expected to log more than 350 million miles each year and assist in the company’s goal to drive one billion miles via an alternative energy fleet by the end of 2017.

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