Ryder System, Inc., a leader in commercial transportation and supply chain management solutions, has already secured lease agreements for 87 heavy-duty natural gas trucks from customers looking to take advantage of the fuel cost savings and environmental benefits of alternative fuel powered vehicles. Sixty-five of those vehicles are part of Ryder’s natural gas fleet in Southern California, made available through the Ryder/San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) Natural Gas Vehicle project.
Due to the leadership Ryder has established with the SANBAG project, the Company has also been able to expand its alternative fuel program outside of California and has already secured a lease agreement with customer, Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc., for 22 natural gas vehicles in Arizona.
The Ryder/SANBAG project is part of a joint public/private partnership between the US Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, San Bernardino Associated Governments, Southern California Association of Governments, and Ryder. The $38.7-million project includes a total of 202 natural gas vehicles available for lease or rent; three strategically located natural gas compliant maintenance shops in Rancho Dominguez, Orange, and Fontana; and two fueling stations. Ryder took delivery of 70 vehicles in May and is expected to have the balance of the full 202 SANBAG natural gas vehicle order in its fleet by the end of 2011.
Three Ryder customers opting for natural gas within the project are Dean Foods, Mohawk Industries and CEVA:
Deans Foods is a dairy processor and owner of one of the largest refrigerated direct-store delivery distribution networks in the food and beverage industry. It was also the first customer to take up leased vehicles as part of the Ryder-SANBAG agreement. The company has leased five natural gas fuelled delivery trucks, the first trucks of this type in its fleet of 3,000 refrigerated delivery trucks and 2,000 delivery tractors. The trucks produce up to 27% less greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional diesel vehicles. Dean Foods has committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 20% by 2013. Ryder delivered the compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to Dean Foods’ Alta Dena Dairy division in Southern California in early June.
Mohawk Industries, a leading supplier of flooring for both residential and commercial applications with one of the largest fleets in the US, has leased five liquefied natural gas (LNG) tractors to support its day-to-day customer delivery operations in Southern California. The vehicles, to be delivered in July, will be serviced out of Ryder’s maintenance facility in Fontana, CA.
CEVA, a leading supply chain company and a Ryder full service lease customer for more than 30 years, will be taking delivery of two LNG tractors. The vehicles will be used to support a customer operation in Southern California.
CEVA offers Full and Less than Truckload (FTL and LTL) transportation along with dedicated fleet services. As a member of the EPA SmartWay vehicle program, CEVA participates in the nationwide initiative to optimize fuel efficiency, improve equipment and track MPG for its truck fleet.
Golden Eagle. To support distribution operations in Tucson, AZ, Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc., a large distributor of Anheuser-Busch products in the US and a Ryder full service lease customer for almost 40 years, has agreed to lease 22 compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. The vehicles are part of a strategic alternative fuel program at Golden Eagle focused on reducing transportation-generated emissions, and reducing fuel costs.
This initial order is a first step in converting our entire fleet to natural gas. After evaluating a number of different alternative fuels, we determined that compressed natural gas made the most sense for our operation. Not only is it a cleaner fuel, but we also expect to see real fuel cost savings over time.
—Bill Osteen, Senior Vice President of Business Operations for Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc.
All 22 vehicles will be delivered to Golden Eagle by December 2011. In support of the agreement, Ryder will be converting two outdoor bays in its maintenance facility in Tucson, AZ to be compliant for servicing natural gas vehicles.
Golden Eagle Distributors is a member of the Tucson Regional Clean Cities Coalition.
Source: Green Car Congress
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