green fleet magazine march/april 2012

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VIA MOTORS’ HYBRID TRUCK p8 ELECTRIFYING TRANSPORTATION p26 REDUCING IDLING p36 TRUCK FLEETS TRUCK FLEETS PROVE GOING GREEN PROVE GOING GREEN MAKES MAKES ‘GREEN’ ‘GREEN’ Petroleum Reduction Strategies Explained Medium-Duty Trucks: Five Green Options VOL. 2, NO. 2 A BOBIT PUBLICATION WWW.GREENFLEETMAGAZINE.COM MARCH / APRIL 2012

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Magazine for the alternative fuel automotive fleet industry

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Page 1: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

VIA MOTORS’ HYBRID TRUCK p8 ● ELECTRIFYING TRANSPORTATION p26 ● REDUCING IDLING p36

TRUCK FLEETSTRUCK FLEETS PROVE GOING GREEN PROVE GOING GREEN

MAKES MAKES ‘GREEN’‘GREEN’Petroleum ReductionStrategies Explained

Medium-Duty Trucks: Five Green Options

VOL. 2, NO. 2

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A BOBIT PUBLICATION WWW.GREENFLEETMAGAZINE.COM MARCH / APRIL 2012

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Page 4: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

CONTENTS14 Greening a Truck Fleet Requires Innovation & CreativityAs with any vehicle technology, there are numerous approaches that can be used

to green a fl eet. With trucks, it requires just a bit more patience and creativity.

20 Proven Petroleum Reduction StrategiesBy transitioning to higher mpg vehicles, the State of Washington’s fl eet cut

fuel costs by more than $750,000.

26 Electrifying Transportation in North CarolinaCentralina Clean Fuels Coalition is paving the way for electric vehicles in the

greater Charlotte region.

28 Evaluating Medium-Duty Truck Alternative-Fuel TechnologiesWhen it comes to alternative-fuel systems for medium-duty (Class 4-7) trucks,

one size does not fi t all. Fleets have fi ve green options to consider.

4 Letters

8 Industry News

32 Showcase

35 Transit

36 Editorial

departments

28

20

14

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 20122

features

M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 1 2 ● V O L U M E 2 ● N O. . 2

ON THE COVER: TRUCK FLEETS SHARE STRATEGIES AND CREATIVITY IN GREENING FLEETS. ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/FRANCK-BOSTONN©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/MALERAPASO

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Page 5: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

Westport™ LD a division of Westport™ Innovations - the world leader in natural gas engine

technology - has revolutionized the process for ordering and taking delivery of a CNG truck.

Now you can order a complete bi-fuel truck with the Westport WiNG Power System directly from an authorized

Westport LD Ford dealer. You get a predictable delivery date, single-transaction invoicing, and your trucks

are Key-Ready for your drivers when they arrive at the Ford dealer or your drop-ship location. Plus, the

WiNG system is completely integrated into the OEM manufacturing process so your warranty remains intact

and all WiNG components and workmanship are warranted to the same levels as the vehicle itself.

The simple, smart, Key-Ready process for bi-fuel trucks. It’s the OEM experience... and it’s here today.

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Scan this on

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Only from Westport™ Light Duty

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Order and take delivery of your Westport WiNG™ Power

System truck directly from an authorized Ford dealer.

CONTENTS

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Page 6: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

Weight Reduction as a Green Fleet Strategy

In reference to the editorial in the Janu-

ary/February 2012 issue about using weight

reduction as a green fl eet strategy, historical-

ly, through our “rightsizing” eff orts over the

past several years, we estimate that we have

been able to reduce the curb weight of our

fl eet inventory by more than 2.6 million lbs.

and have seen signifi cant reductions in CO2

and an increase in mpg.

Brad Bohnen Head of Fleet Management -

North America, Strategic Supplier & Contracts Management

Ericsson Inc., Overland Park, Kan.

Lightening the ChassisI enjoy the articles in Green Fleet, especial-

ly the ones that give suggestions for reducing

fl eet costs while reducing emissions. Here at

Schwan’s Home Service Inc., one of our big-

ger improvements has come from transition-

ing to lightweight vehicles. By lightening

the body, we have been able to go to a light-

weight chassis. Th is has reduced our weight

by more than 6,000 lbs., which, in turn, im-

proved fuel economy and brought the truck

closer to the ground, making it easier for the

route salespeople to work from. Many driv-

ers have commented that we have extend-

ed their careers since they do not have to

climb the truck any longer to access the cab

or the product.

Mike SpeerSr. Director of Facilities and Fleet

Schwan’s Home Service, Inc.Marshall, Minn.

CNG Conversion InfoI am the fl eet manager at Gamma Health-

Care Inc., and I use the articles in Green Fleet

magazine every day as examples. My ques-

tion is, how do I turn my Ford Focus from

gasoline to CNG? My fl eet consists of 140

2009-2012 Ford Focus models. Miles per

gallon are high with this fl eet, but nothing

compares to green. Any help on this matter

would be appreciated greatly.

Chris LuxMaterials and Transportation

ManagerGamma HealthCare Inc.

Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Th e below reply is from Stephen Yborra,

director of market development for NGVAmerica

in Washington, D.C. Yborra is also director of

market analysis, education & communications

for the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation

in Acworth, Ga. — Editor

Several factors apply when converting/

retrofi tting a vehicle to CNG:

1. Is an EPA-certifi ed retrofi t system

available for the vehicle and model-year

you seek?

2. Are the accumulated miles on the ve-

hicle low enough that:

a. Th ere will not be technical challenges

related to retrofi tting the vehicle

(gaskets, valves, etc.) to CNG

aft er it has operated on gasoline?

b. Is there enough life left on the

vehicle to allow for the recoup of the

retrofi t investment?

3. Is there CNG fuel available that is:

LETTERS

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 20124

a. Publicly accessible?

b. Located close to or on regular route

patterns that it is convenient?

I can assist with several of these ques-

tions and refer you to the appropriate re-

sources for the rest:

1. I believe Altech Eco of Arden, N.C.,

currently is the only manufacturer of EPA-

certifi ed systems for the Ford Focus (always

check the EPA website for updates).

2. Each retrofi t system company (re-

ferred to as a small volume manufactur-

er [SVM]) has its own working guidelines

about how old a car it’s willing to retro-

fi t (from a technical perspective). Gen-

erally, the better the vehicles have been

maintained and operated, the longer the

threshold mileage at which the decision is

go/no-go. Contrary to popular belief, most

retrofi ts are done on brand-new vehicles or

vehicles that are within their fi rst 25,000

miles (this threshold mileage varies de-

pending on the SVM. A few will convert

beyond this point, but most will not). How-

ever, there are SVMs in the market who

actually pull the gasoline engine and re-

power it with a rebuilt gasoline-convert-

ed-to-CNG engine, eliminating the issue

of “mileage caps” on used vehicles.

3. Like most SVMs, Altech Eco installs

its own equipment and also has qualifi ed

installers around the country who it has

trained to properly install and service its

equipment. Again, contrary to popular be-

lief, CNG retrofi ts are not a do-it-yourself

(DIY) project. Let Altech Eco refer you to

a qualifi ed installer.

4. Regarding station availability, unless

Dropping Unnecessary Weight Although the title of this letter seems timely consider-

ing we’re still recuperating from the holiday season, I’m

not talking turkey or the aft ermath of too much fruit-

cake; I’m referring to the elimination of excess cargo in

your fl eet vehicles.

One of Automotive Resources International’s (ARI)

truck specifi cation experts and I were discussing the ed-

itorial in the January/February 2012 issue of Green Fleet magazine

on reducing vehicle weight. Since this colleague’s responsibility is

to design vehicles that fulfi ll the driver’s job responsibilities with-

out being overloaded, under-spec’ed, or overpriced, this topic was

understandably of great interest to him.

Mike Antich’s reference to “rolling warehouses” is all too true

in our business. While drivers certainly need the appropriate

tools to successfully complete their job responsibili-

ties, it’s too easy to end up with pounds of items that

just aren’t needed. Th e result is an overly heavy vehi-

cle that consumes excessive fuel, incurs repairs (and

tire replacements!) more quickly, and causes addition-

al harm to the environment.

Consider declaring one of your New Year’s resolutions a

commitment to early spring cleaning. Asking drivers to take a quick

look at what they are carrying (rather, don’t need to be carrying) is

a no-cost way to have a positive impact on your fl eet’s bottom line.

Elisa DurandManager, Strategic Consulting

Analysis & Sustainability Automotive Resources International, Mt. Laurel, N.J.

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Page 7: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

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Page 8: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

LETTERS

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 20126

www.greenfl eetmagazine.com

Vice PresidentGroup Publisher, Auto GroupSherb Brown

EditorMike Antich(310) 533-2467

Managing EditorLauren Fletcher(310) 533-2415

Senior EditorGrace L. Suizo(310) 533-2414

Associate EditorChris Wolski(310) 533-2442

Web EditorGreg Basich(310) 533-2572

Field EditorAl Cavalli

Production DirectorKelly Bracken

Production ManagerBrian Peach(310) 533-2548

Art DirectorArmie Bautista

Subscription Inquiries(310) 533-2440

www.GreenFleetMagazine.com/Subscription

[email protected]

National Sales ManagerSherb Brown(310) 533-2451

District Advertising Managers

Regional Sales ManagerEric Bearly(310) [email protected]

West Coast Sales Manager/Associate PublisherJoni Owens(310) [email protected]

Great LakesRobert Brown Jr.1000 W. University Dr., Ste. 209Rochester, MI 48307(248) 601-2005 • Fax (248) [email protected]

Sales & Marketing CoordinatorTracey Tremblay

ChairmanEdward J. Bobit

CEOTy F. Bobit

CFORichard E. Johnson

Editorial ConsultantHoward Rauch

Business and Editorial Offi ceBobit Business Media3520 Challenger St.Torrance, CA 90503-1640Fax: (310) 533-2503Printed in U.S.A.

charging rates that are adjusted from time-

to-time to compensate for the actual cost of

the commodity that the utility paid. Utilities

do not make a margin on the gas, just the de-

livery of the gas.

ii. Cost of compression: Rule of thumb is

one fully loaded KWH/GGE is probably10-15

cents per GGE.

iii. Cost of station equipment maintenance:

Don’t skimp here. Pay for regular preventive

maintenance to get the most out of your sta-

tion equipment. If you don’t, you’ll pay for it

in costly repairs — fi gure 30-40 cents per GGE.

iv. Amortized cost of station equipment: Di-

vide the cost of the equipment over the number

of GGEs you expect to produce using that equip-

ment over the expected life of the equipment.

Diff erent compressors have diff erent projected

lifespans (including planned intervals for top-

end valve jobs, rebuilds, etc.). Generally, larger

equipment may be depreciated over a 10-year

period, although the equipment oft en lasts well

beyond that. Generally, smaller equipment has

shorter total life (usually quoted in operating

hours, not years). I use rough estimates of 35-

65 cents per GGE in my classes, but each ap-

plication has its own economic inputs.

CNG off ers great benefi ts to businesses that

have the right operating characteristics, namely:

1. Repetitive routes in defi ned geographic

areas and/or return-to-base operations.

2. High fuel use per vehicle (a relative term,

based on the incremental cost of the CNG ca-

pability). Generally, large vehicles (transit bus-

es, refuse trucks, delivery trucks, etc.) are bet-

ter prospects than smaller vehicles, but many

small vehicle applications are a great fi t (e.g.,

package/document courier services; medical lab

couriers who pick up and deliver from doctors’

offi ces to central labs; operational supervisors

who travel throughout the day; government

workers who travel to multiple appointments

throughout the day — such as social workers,

code/permit inspectors, etc.).

Contact your local Clean Cities Coalition

director to learn about potential state incen-

tives for businesses that transition to alterna-

tive fuels such as natural gas. Th ere may be a

state vehicle retrofi t tax incentive and, I be-

lieve, there are several potential grant programs

available through your state environmental of-

fi ce and through the U.S. Department of En-

ergy, via the Clean Cities Coalition channel.

there is a CNG station nearby that I am not

familiar with, it looks as though you would

likely have to install your own fueling capa-

bility. Th at raises another series of questions:

a. Do you have natural gas service on your

property or at a property that you have rights

to install equipment? If yes, then continue. If

not, then stop. You are not a candidate for CNG

retrofi t unless your business takes your vehi-

cles to St. Louis where there is limited public

access fueling available.

b. What volume of fuel will you need per day

in approximately three years, assuming that you

plan to convert and/or purchase new CNG ve-

hicles as you replace older vehicles? Th e three-

year mark is used because it makes sense to

install suffi cient capacity to meet your project-

ed daily volume in three years. Otherwise, you

are constantly “catching up” by adding equip-

ment to meet needs and this tends to be cost-

ly and higher cost-per-installed gasoline-gal-

lon equivalents (GGE) as economies of scale

generally apply to compressor packagers —

the bigger the package, the less the amortized

equipment cost per GGE — assuming that you

do not grossly under-utilize the equipment.

c. Based on the volume per day, you can size

and install a time-fi ll system that fi lls vehicles

overnight and/or during idle periods during

the day. Time-fi ll is far less expensive to in-

stall than fast-fi ll and likely will meet your

needs. Th ere are manufacturers/packagers

of compression equipment (and related dry-

ers, fi lters, valves, controls, etc.) that cover a

wide range from one GGE per hour up to hun-

dreds of GGEs per hour. In addition, systems

may be installed in “modules” that allow for

growth in capacity, although each has its own

limitations on marginal cost-eff ectiveness be-

fore it makes more sense to bump to the next

size compressor.

d. Depending on the CNG component costs,

detailed below, you should be able to produce

your own CNG at a savings of $1.50 to $2/GGE

as compared with gasoline. Your fully loaded

cost per GGE should include:

i. Cost of natural gas (this comprises the

regulated fee per unit delivered by your local

gas company plus the unregulated “pass along”

costs of the natural gas commodity that it buys

each month for its customers). Most residenc-

es and small businesses are on rate structures

that “bundle” these two components together,

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Page 9: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

EcoPower is more than just engine oil. It’s part of a much bigger effort by Safety-Kleen, the largest collector and

refi ner of reclaimed engine oil in North America. We start by reclaiming over 200 million gallons of used oil from

270,000 locations. That oil is then refi ned using a process that requires up to 85% less energy to produce. The result

is an API-certifi ed engine oil that exceeds all North American standards for engine protection. By using EcoPower

and the oil-recovery services of Safety-Kleen, you can protect your entire fl eet and the environment in a sustainable

way. And that’s protection everyone can benefi t from.

EcoPower is more than just engine oil. It’s part of a much bigger effort by Safety-Kleen, the largest collector and

refi ner of reclaimed engine oil in North America. We start by reclaiming over 200 million gallons of used oil from

270,000 locations. That oil is then refi ned using a process that requires up to 85% less energy to produce. The result

is an API-certifi ed engine oil that exceeds all North American standards for engine protection. By using EcoPower

and the oil-recovery services of Safety-Kleen, you can protect your entire fl eet and the environment in a sustainable

way. And that’s protection everyone can benefi t from.A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.

©2012 SAFETY-KLEEN SYSTEMS, INC.

PROTECTPROTECT

ecopoweroil.comecopoweroil.com

S:1

0 in

S:7 in

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Page 10: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

PG&E, VIA Motors Unveil Plug-in Hybrid TruckDETROIT – Pacifi c Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and VIA Motors unveiled an

extended-range electric (e-REV) pickup truck designed for utilities and other businesses

whose fi eld employees need access to a

power source.

Th e California electric and gas utility

partnered with VIA Motors in 2008

to develop the trucks and has already

deployed two.

Using VIA’s V-Drive, a 650v e-REV

drive system designed for full-size

trucks and SUVs, the e-REV truck can

travel 40 miles solely on electricity be-

fore switching to gasoline, and up to 400

miles extended range. 

Nissan e-NV200 Concept Provides Glimpse of Future Electric VanDETROIT – Nissan debuted a produc-

tion version of its all-electric, e-NV200

concept, based on the Nissan NV200

light commercial vehicle.

According to the company, the

battery capacity will support a driv-

ing range similar to the Nissan Leaf,

while payload and cargo space will off er

the same level as the current NV200.

Th e e-NV200 concept shares its major

drivetrain components with the Leaf. Zero-emission

power is supplied by a lithium-ion battery composed

of 48 compact modules and a high-response 80kW

AC synchronous motor that generates 207 lb.-ft .

(280 N-m/rpm) of torque.

MIAMI – Ryder System Inc. signed its fi rst Flex-to-Green lease agreement with media fi rm Source Interlink Companies Inc. for seven diesel-powered vehicles. Under the lease agreement, Source Interlink will have the option to exchange these vehicles for natural gas-powered models. The company currently operates more than 300 vehicles across the coun-try as part of its sales, services, and logistics division.

Ryder’s Flex-to-Green lease is designed to provide custom-ers the option of incorporating alternative-fuel vehicles into their fl eets in support of their business objectives. Ryder’s alt-fuel fl eet includes compressed and liquid natural gas vehicles, as well as hybrid vehicles.

LAS VEGAS – Through an agree-ment between Eaton Corp. and Coulomb Technologies, Eaton’s Level II and DC quick-charging Pow-R-Sta-tion units will now give station own-ers the option to be part of Coulomb’s ChargePoint Network.

Eaton Pow-R-Station charging stations, which can charge a depleted EV in three to four hours, will now have the capability to access all the functionality of the ChargePoint Network and ChargePoint service

plans, including a centralized manage-ment infrastructure to set up services; automated billing and transaction payment processing; 24/7 driver support; and driver services that show real-time station availability. ChargePoint-enabled Eaton stations will be included on all ChargePoint mobile phone applications.

RYDER TO HELP ‘GREEN’ SOURCE INTERLINK FLEET

EATON & COULOMB TEAM UP ON EV STATIONS

INDUSTRY NEWS

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 20128

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The extended-range electric (e-REV) truck can provide mobile, onsite power to help manage electrical outages.

A production version of the all-electric e-NV200 concept debuted at the 2012 North American Auto Show in Detroit in January. The battery capacity will support a driving range similar to the Nissan Leaf.

Eaton Pow-R-Station charging units can charge a depleted EV in three to four hours.

DTE Energy Tests Ram PHEV TrucksAUBURN HILLS, MI – Chrysler Group LLC, working in partnership with the U.S. Depart-

ment of Energy (DOE), will provide 10 demonstration fl eet Ram 1500 plug-in hybrid electric

vehicle (PHEV) pickup trucks to DTE Energy of Detroit. Th e PHEV Ram 1500 pickups are

part of a national demonstration fl eet of 140 vehicles that will be used during the next three

years to evaluate customer usage, drive

cycles, charging, thermal management,

fuel economy, emissions, and impact on

the region’s electric grid. 

In addition to DTE Energy of Detroit,

16 diff erent cities have received more

than 100 vehicles in the past six months.

Th is is strictly a demonstration pro-

gram. Th ere are no plans for a production

version of the PHEV Ram 1500 trucks at

this time, Chrysler Group said.

The PHEV Ram 1500 pickups are part of a national demonstration fl eet of 140 vehicles that will be used during the next three years.

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Page 12: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201210

Airport Shuttles Convert to Propane Autogas & CNGCHICAGO – Th e GO Group, a major airport shuttle provider, is see-

ing more of its member fl eets go green. GO companies serving San

Francisco International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Milwaukee’s

General Mitchell International, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Puerto Rico’s

Luis Munoz Marin International airports are converting all or part of

their fl eets to propane autogas or compressed natural gas (CNG).

GO Shuttle Express in Seattle, which has 43 propane-autogas-

fueled vehicles, began the conversion process in January 2011 and has

20 more systems to install.

In San Francisco, GO Lorries has converted 16 vans to CNG, with

another 28 to be retrofi tted for CNG by May. 

As of December 2011, GO Riteway Transportation Group in Mil-

waukee moved 21 of its 500-vehicle fl eet to propane autogas, seeing

$7,000 in fuel savings since October, according to the company.

Peper Named GM’s New Head of Fleet and Commercial Operations DETROIT – General Motors has named Ed Peper, formerly

general sales manager for the Cadillac brand, to the position of

general manager, Fleet and Commercial Operations.

Brian Small, executive director of GM’s Fleet and Commercial

Operations, has been named to the position of general manager,

U.S. Sales Support Operations for the company, working with

GM’s dealer network. Small is taking over the position from Jim

Bunnell, who was named to the position of VP Dealer Network

and Sales Operations for Chevrolet/Cadillac in Europe.

Peper joined the company’s Cadillac division in 1984, and has

held many diff erent fi eld sales and marketing management posi-

tions with General Motors.

Peper has served as general sales manager of Cadillac since

August 2009 and is responsible for leading the Cadillac fi eld or-

ganization and dealers. Prior to moving to Cadillac, he served as

North American vice president of Chevrolet. In addition, he was

previously general manager of Chevrolet, regional general man-

ager for the General Motors Northeast Region, and vice president

of Sales for Saab Cars, USA.

Small has headed GM’s Fleet and Commercial Operations since

February 2010. Prior to that role, he was general director for GM’s

North America Order Fulfi llment and Global Supply Chain Center, a post that

included supporting fl eet activities.

Small joined GM in 1979, having spent most of his career in vehicle sales,

service, and marketing roles. Representing GM’s four core brands — Chevrolet,

Buick, Cadillac, and GMC — he has worked in key markets across the U.S., ac-

cording to GM.

Bunnell also joined GM in 1979, starting with the company’s Pontiac division.

Aft er roles in fi nance, manufacturing, planning, and sales with Pontiac, he joined

GM’s North American Operations in the product planning organization, work-

ing in sales for the Pontiac brand through 2000. He was named regional general

manager of GM’s Northeast Region in 2003, and, most recently, to the position of

general manager of GM Dealer Network and Sales Support in 2009.

GO Riteway, serving Milwaukee’s General Mitchell In-ternational airport, has saved $7,000 in fuel by convert-ing just 21 of its 500 vehicles to propane autogas.

SMALL

BUNNELL

PEPER

GM Plant Charges Up Solar EV StationWHITE MARSH, MD – General Mo-

tor’s Allison Transmission plant in

White Marsh, Md., received its fi rst

solar electric vehicle (EV) charging

station. Designed by Standard Solar and

Tim-berRock Energy Solutions, Inc.,

the 10kW system features four Level 1

(120v) charging stations, four Level 2

(240v) fast-charge stations, and covered

parking for EV drivers underneath a

solar canopy.

According to TimberRock, the sys-

tem’s anticipated energy production is

12,500 kW-hrs. per year, resulting in 12

fewer tons of CO2 released into the at-

mosphere per year. In addition to charg-

ing EVs, the system also ties directly to

the building so that when the charging

stations are not in use, the energy can be

utilized throughout the building.

General Motor’s Allison Transmission plant in White Marsh, Md., received its fi rst solar electric vehicle charging station. ➞

GFLEET0312_news.indd 10GFLEET0312_news.indd 10 2/15/12 1:37 PM2/15/12 1:37 PM

Page 13: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

www.greenfleetcoalition.comwww.greenfleetcoalition.comwww.greenfleetcoalition.com

Certify Your Green Fleet Operation

Coalition Members

MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 11

Propane autogas powers more than 15 million vehicles worldwide. The reason why is clear:

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www.ferrellautogas.com/ForYourFleet.

Why choose propane

autogas?

Call us today to learn how easy it is to incorporate

propane-autogas powered vehicles into your fl eet.

855-4-AUTOGAS

Propane autogas is the best alternative fuel for fl eets

GFLEET0312_news.indd 11GFLEET0312_news.indd 11 2/15/12 1:37 PM2/15/12 1:37 PM

Page 14: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

ABUNDANT CLEAN ENERGY. LEGENDARY HEMI

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The Ram 2500 CNG — exclusively available to fleet customers. Order yours today.

1When in unleaded gas mode. 2Based on market research performed by World CNG, 2011 Fuel Cost Report. 3See your dealer for complete details and a copy of the 5-Year/100,000-Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. ©2012 Chrysler Group LLC. All rights reserved. Ram, Ram’s Head logo and HEMI are registered trademarks of Chrysler Group LLC.

GFLEET_12-13.indd 12GFLEET_12-13.indd 12 2/14/12 3:10 PM2/14/12 3:10 PM

Page 15: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

5 YEAR/100,000 MILE

POWERTRAIN WARRANTY3

fleet.chrysler.com

800-999-FLEET

GFLEET_12-13.indd 13GFLEET_12-13.indd 13 2/14/12 3:10 PM2/14/12 3:10 PM

Page 16: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201214

As with any vehicle tech-nology, there are numerous

approaches that can be used to green a fl eet. With trucks,

it requires just a bit more patience and creativity.

In recent years, there has been a growing

trend to “green” fl eets using new emissions-

reducing technology and techniques.

However, green technology isn’t really a

wholly new phenomenon for many fl eets.

Indeed, green truck fl eets have existed for

decades. While some fl eets are old pros at

integrating and managing these cutting-

edge fl eet assets, there are a growing num-

ber of fl eets including green trucks in their

mix for the fi rst time.

While, on the whole, the new technol-

ogy is saving money and adding other ef-

fi ciencies, it can come at a premium and

requires some new ways to manage and

maintain these assets.

Below are snapshots of how truck fl eets

around the country are going green.

Leading the WaySchwan’s Home Service trucks were

“green” long before the current trend in

alternative-fuel technology. Ironically, its

motivation was surprisingly contempo-

rary, explained Roger Porter, director of

fl eet acquisitions. “Back in the 1970s, Mar-

vin Schwan was looking to break our de-

pendence on foreign oil,” he said. So, the

fl eet was transitioned to propane autogas

— a diffi cult task in the late 20th century,

because many OEMs didn’t have the nec-

essary gaseous-prep engines needed to

make the conversion.

Today, 73 percent of Schwan’s 5,000 ve-

hicles are powered by propane autogas, in-

cluding Ford E-450 Cutaways, GMC Savana

cargo vans, and Izuzu cab-forwards. “Th is

percentage would be much higher — but

[due to the recession] there was a limited

availability of gaseous-prep engines,” said

Porter, whose long-term goal is to convert

100 percent of the fl eet to propane autogas.

While propane autogas has been a big

part of Schwan’s fl eet for more than a quarter

century, Porter said he is continuously re-

evaluating this commitment. “It’s a business

decision and we review it every year and fi nd

the investment pays off every year,” he said.

Propane autogas has brought numerous

benefi ts to Schwan’s fl eet in addition to its

economics. Propane autogas is domesti-

cally produced — fulfi lling founder Mar-

vin Schwan’s goal to break dependence on

foreign oil. Propane-autogas-fueled vehi-

cles also tend to be quieter and have few-

er damaging emissions.

Th e biggest challenge has been fi nding

gaseous engine options from the OEMs.

“We continually ask and lobby the OEMs,”

Porter said. “Unfortunately, the various

types of engines we need are not always

available.”

Schwan’s operates its own fueling in-

frastructure at 95 percent of its facilities,

cross-training its warehouse personnel how

to fuel the vehicles. Th is has made its sales

personnel more effi cient. “It gives them

more time to do their jobs,” Porter said.

Even with the effi ciencies gained by op-

erating propane-autogas-fueled trucks,

Schwan’s still relies on grant money to

help fund the purchase of the vehicles. Th e

company has worked with the Clean Cit-

ies Coalition for a number of years and re-

cently joined the coalition’s National Clean

Fleets Partnership, which will help make

the grant process more effi cient.

“We have had an excellent relationship

with the regional Clean Cities organiza-

tions, but, since Schwan’s is in every state,

Greening a Truck FleetGreening a Requires Innova t

By Chris Wolski

Greening a truck fl eet requires fl eet

managers to:

● Measure the costs.

● Determine the best fuel for the fl eet’s

operation.

● Think ahead.

● Be fl exible and expect challenges.

AT A GLANCE

Schwan’s has been operating propane-

autogas trucks since the gasoline crises of the

GFLEET0312truck.indd 14GFLEET0312truck.indd 14 2/15/12 1:38 PM2/15/12 1:38 PM

Page 17: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 15

it was ineffi cient to work with every loca-

tion individually. Belonging to the Clean

Fleets Partnership streamlines this by giving

us one point of contact,” Porter explained.

Measuring the ‘Five Cs’It’s not just fl eets with a long experience

with alternative-fuel vehicles that are part

of the National Clean Fleets Partnership.

Th yssenKrupp Elevator, a recent entrant

to the propane-autogas fraternity, is using

the resources of the Clean Cities off shoot

to help fund and convert its fl eet as well.

“It’s helped us fi nd new markets where

we can benefi t from incentive money,” ex-

plained Tom Armstrong, director of fl eet

for Th yssenKrupp. “It also gives us better

insight into the country as a whole and more

insight on new technologies by streamlin-

ing the information.”

Although Th yssenKrupp

has just recently begun

greening its fl eet — and

is sure to benefi t from

the fi nancial intelligence

available from the National

Clean Fleets Partnership —

the company as a whole is

committed to global sustainability, explained

Armstrong. “Green is in our [corporate]

DNA. And, we asked how we could take

this [sensibility] to fl eet.”

But, the desire to “green” Th yssenKrupp’s

truck fl eet didn’t mean that vehicle

technology was adopted for its own sake.

Instead, Armstrong developed a system

he refers to as the “Five Cs” that he uses

to evaluate green vehicle technology. Each

“C” is straightforward in what it measures:

● Is it Clean?

● Is it Cost-eff ective?

● Does it Conserve?

● Does it make Common sense?

● Can you Commit?

Using this approach, Armstrong found

the only alternative fuel that made sense

was propane autogas.

Since making this determination, the

fl eet has deployed propane-autogas-fueled

trucks and vans in Phoenix and Seattle and

will soon be introducing them to its Los

Angeles and San Diego operations.

Although propane autogas met all of

Armstrong’s “Cs,” he discovered there was

a sixth “C” — challenge.

While the drivers were enthusiastic about propane autogas and the fl eet is see-

ing fuel-cost savings, Armstrong said the

biggest challenge came from a key feature

of the fl eet — the drivers take their vehi-

cles home at night.

Th is meant that he could only deploy

vehicles where there is a local, public sup-

ply. “We have to work with our suppliers

— they dictate where we go,” Armstrong

observed.

Th ese challenges aside (which Arm-

strong said “were fun” to solve), Arm-

strong expects to have about 10 percent

of the 3,100-plus vehicle fl eet running on

propane autogas by 2015.

In the meantime, he keeps evaluating

all other alt-fuel technology through the

lens of his “Five Cs.”

Greening a Truck FleetTruck Fleeta tion & Creativity

ARMSTRONG

GETTING HTUF

Propane autogas and compressed natural gas (CNG) may be among the more

popular alternative fuels for truck fl eets. But, thanks to the work of the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF), hybrid-electric technology may become as common an alternative-power source for trucks as the other alternative options.

A project administered by CALSTART, a member organization dedicated to ex-panding and supporting a clean trans-portation industry, HTUF works to assist users and truck makers to reach pre-pro-duction manufacturing levels and de-ployment based on developing common key performance requirements with com-mitted users.

Steps to achieve this may include fl eet characterization, business case develop-ment, lifecycle and performance modeling, and sharing technical information. These key performance requirements, shared with manufacturers, serve as the basis of pilot deployments and then production.

For more information go to www.cal-start.org/Projects/Hybrid-Truck-Users-Forum.aspx

ThyssenKrupp Elevator found that propane autogas was the alternative fuel that made the most sense under its “Five Cs” criteria. The company expects that 10 percent of its 3,100-plus vehicle fl eet will be powered by propane autogas by 2015.

GFLEET0312truck.indd 15GFLEET0312truck.indd 15 2/15/12 1:38 PM2/15/12 1:38 PM

Page 18: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

Making an Alt-Fuel SwitchMaking the switch from conventional

fuel to an alternative fuel can be diffi cult

enough — then switching to another al-

ternative fuel can be downright daunting.

But, that’s exactly what Waste Management

of Houston did several years ago when it

changed from liquefi ed natural gas (LNG)

trucks to compressed natural gas (CNG)

for most new natural-gas-powered trucks

going forward.

Th e change was dictated by the fact that

“CNG is easier to manage, it’s cheaper,

and there’s no vapor loss as you have with

LNG,” explained John Lemmons, direc-

tor of fl eet and equipment performance

for Waste Management.

Th e company, which provides waste

management services throughout the U.S.

and Canada will have about 10 percent of

its fl eet running on CNG in a variety of

Peterbilt, Freightliner, Mack, and Autocar

model trucks by the end of 2012.

Lemmons said there are numerous bene-

fi ts from committing to CNG vehicles. One of

the biggest is the reduction of vehicle down-

time and the inexpensiveness of CNG. “I can

buy CNG at less than half what I spend for

diesel. Th e payback for a CNG truck is less

than three years,” he noted. “Convincing our

management to commit to CNG was an easy

sell based on the fi nancial models. ”

Another big benefi t of switching to CNG

was the ability of the Waste Management

crews to be more effi cient. Because CNG

vehicles don’t have the same emissions con-

trol systems as a conventional diesel truck,

each of the company’s vehicles have an ex-

tra 2,000-lb. payload capacity.

But, with the benefi ts came challenges —

the biggest is tied to the company’s fueling

infrastructure, which is operated by Waste

Management. “Th e logistics of conversion

can be a challenge, since no two sites are the

GREEN TRUCK FLEETS

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201216

Waste Manage-ment switched from LNG to CNG several years ago. It has proved to be economical and effi cient.

BUILDING AN ALLIANCE

Lack of a fueling infrastructure can be an impediment to adopting alternative-fuel

technology for fl eet use. In addition to onsite fueling installation,

Alliance AutoGas offers an aftermarket bi-fuel conversion system that starts an engine using gasoline and immediately switches over to propane autogas.

Alliance also supports its conversion system by training a fl eet’s maintenance team and drivers. Beyond basic training, the company provides technical and safe-ty support and ongoing service.

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GFLEET0312truck.indd 16GFLEET0312truck.indd 16 2/15/12 1:38 PM2/15/12 1:38 PM

Page 19: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

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same,” Lemmons explained. “Some have a

very quick turnaround, in terms of site per-

mitting and readily available natural gas,

while others don’t. We’ve dedicated a group

of employees to handling our fueling infra-

structure. One thing we’ve learned is that

the availability of your fueling infrastruc-

ture has to coincide with your truck order.”

Losing Weight & Changing the Fuel Diet

For American Residential Services (ARS)

of Memphis, Tenn., the process of greening

its truck fl eet began with a simple question.

“In 2009, the president asked if we were con-

sidering any alternative fuels for our vehicles.

Th e answer was, yes, we were researching a

variety of options to present to senior man-

agement in the near future,” recalled Mike

Baessler, director of purchasing and fl eet.

While Baessler was researching the ideal

alt-fuel for the fl eet, he put his trucks on a

diet, taking weight out of the box trucks and

working to make them more aerodynamic.

Once the fl eet had been lightened, Baessler

determined that propane autogas was the

best fuel option based on truck and payload

size for its Ford E-250, E-350, and E-450 ve-

hicles. Currently, about 1 percent of its fl eet

is powered by propane autogas.

Aft er two years of preparation, the roll

out of ARS’ propane-autogas-powered ve-

hicles began in July 2011, and they quickly

proved their worth. Th e initial 19 vehicles

introduced to the Houston market have met

with positive response from employees, who

like that the vehicles are quiet, have less fuel

odor, and off er more power.

Baessler also likes that he’s seeing a serious

decrease in his fuel spend. “We’ve seen a re-

duced fuel cost of more than $1 per gallon in

Texas and close to $2 in California,” he said.

Fuel costs have gone down, but Baessler

and his team had a few headaches making

fueling at mostly public stations work. “We

had to modify our fuel card safeguards,” he

explained. “Th ere are limited MCC [mer-

chant category codes], so when the drivers

tried to tank up at U-Haul or the hardware

store, their cards were declined. In Texas, some

locations didn’t have diff erential pumps with

enough horsepower to fi ll the vehicle tanks

in the heat of the summer; we have our own

onsite tank in place now that eliminates that

issue. But, those are the kinds of things you

have to be prepared for when making the

switch to an alternative fuel.”

Baessler said ARS is committed to pro-

pane-autogas-fueled trucks, but is keeping

his eyes open regarding other alt-fuel tech-

nology. Propane-autogas or other alt-fu-

el vehicles will be introduced based on the

needs of that market. And, how green ARS’

fl eet will get depends on a big unknown —

the price of gasoline. “If there’s a dramatic in-

crease or decrease in gasoline we’ll take that

into consideration,” he said.

MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 17

ARS began greening its truck fl eet in July 2011 in Houston and California. Its propane-autogas trucks have quickly proven them-selves to make fi nancial sense.

GFLEET0312truck.indd 17GFLEET0312truck.indd 17 2/15/12 1:38 PM2/15/12 1:38 PM

Page 20: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

*F-150 with optional EcoBoost, EPA-estimated 16 city/22 hwy/18 combined mpg, 4x2. 4x4 shown.

GFLEET_18-19.indd 18GFLEET_18-19.indd 18 2/15/12 1:32 PM2/15/12 1:32 PM

Page 21: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

Maximize your return with vehicles that help lower fuel and maintenance costs.

Ford vehicles are intelligently engineered to ease the

burden on your balance sheet. More models for 2012

off er available EcoBoost® engines that enhance fuel

economy* without sacrifi cing performance, plus

technology that helps maximize mileage between oil

changes. To learn more ways that Ford can save your

company money down the road, visit fl eet.ford.com.

GFLEET_18-19.indd 19GFLEET_18-19.indd 19 2/15/12 1:32 PM2/15/12 1:32 PM

Page 22: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201220

By transitioning to higher mpg vehicles, the State of Washington’s fl eet cuts fuel costs by more than $750,000. By Barbara Bonansinga

The State of Washington’s fl eet oper-

ations department currently man-

ages a fl eet of about 2,600 units, primarily

passenger vehicles. Almost 52 percent of

its fl eet consists of hybrids, making it the

largest hybrid state government fl eet in the

nation. By transitioning to hybrids, Wash-

ington’s new Department of Enterprise Ser-

vices (DES), previously known as Gener-

al Administration, is successfully meeting

its goals to reduce petroleum use, cut costs,

and shrink its carbon footprint.

Fleet’s petroleum use is down about 26

percent since 2005. Fleet manager for the

Washington DES, Bryan Bazard, broke

down the savings this way: “In fi scal-year

2011, the fl eet drove more than 23.6 mil-

lion miles; the average fl eet vehicle fuel

economy was 25 mpg. Averaging cost per

gallon of gasoline at $3.50, we spent more

than $3.3 million on fuel. When fl eet fuel

economy averaged 20.3 mpg as it did in

2005, we would have spent more than $4

million, or an additional $767,000.”

Bazard added that the change refl ected

a larger shift within the state.

“In 1995, the Washington fl eet started

transitioning to higher effi ciency, bi-fuel

vehicles and fuels, such as E-85; however,

the fuel infrastructure for E-85 was lack-

ing, resulting in limited use. So, we transi-

tioned to vehicles with better overall fuel

economy, specifi cally hy-

brid,” Bazard said.

According to Bazard,

the underlying reason for

the move was economic.

“Hybrids replaced full-

size SUVs, then smaller

gasoline-powered SUVs

and took the place of conventionally pow-

ered station wagons,” he said.

Washington DES does not receive fund-

ing from the state legislature. Instead, it is

funded through the rates it charges user

agencies for goods and services. In the case

of vehicles, DES has transitioned to a mod-

el where it owns all fl eet vehicles and leases

them back to user agencies at rates based

on the total cost of ownership. Bazard not-

ed the state’s cost of a hybrid sedan is now

less than the state’s cost of a conventional

gasoline-powered sedan (see table, Fleet

Vehicle Long-Term Rental Rates).

Lease rates are calculated based on iden-

tifi ed administrative costs, depreciation,

fuel, maintenance, and interest charges.

In terms of performance and reliability,

Bazard said the hybrid experience has been

successful as well. “We’ve had great results

with the Toyota Prius that fl eet slates for re-

placement at intervals of about 115,000 miles,

although we have run some of them up to

160,000 miles without issues,” Bazard said.

He noted only one hybrid required a bat-

tery replacement; it was a domestic brand

and the failure occurred within a month of

purchase and was fully warranted by the

manufacturer.

As for battery disposal, Bazard said spent

batteries would be sent back to OEM deal-

ers. Th e only other concern relates to the

degradation of the chassis on a limited num-

ber of domestic hybrids and had nothing

Proven Petroleum

The State of Washington has reduced

fuel costs by $750,000 through:

● Reduced petroleum use by 26 percent

since 2005 by transitioning to alt-fuel

vehicles.

● Support and buy-in from leadership.

● A blueprint for Fleet Fuel Consumption

Reduction.

AT A GLANCE

27

25

23

21

19

17

152005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

FLEET AVERAGE MPG

Fleet Average MPG

MPG

The State of Washington’s average fl eet mpg has increased since 2005, reaching a peak in 2009, but staying steady through 2010 and 2011.

BAZARD

GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 20GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 20 2/15/12 1:52 PM2/15/12 1:52 PM

Page 23: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 21

to do with the hybrid systems. He also said

the Prius has been signifi cantly cheaper to

maintain compared to conventional vehicles.

“Th ey almost never need brakes, due to

the regenerative braking system that assists

the conventional brakes, leaving tires and

oil changes as the primary maintenance ex-

penses,” Bazard noted.

New Technology Reduces Maintenance Expenses

While fuel expense and tire costs take

the largest bites out of fl eet operating cost

budgets, on conventional vehicles, routine

brake system repairs account for a signifi -

cant portion of routine maintenance costs.

Bazard has witnessed how maintenance

and repair costs can skyrocket on the

gasoline-powered sedans, which previously

were the dominant vehicle type in fl eet

when they hit 100,000 miles, resulting in

setting the replacement mileage threshold.

Switching to new technology can create

challenges for fl eet maintenance and re-

pair shops and require rebalancing parts

inventories for fl eets with in-house shops.

Bazard said Washington has experienced

an easy transition in that regard. He recom-

mended factory training for hybrid mainte-

nance and repair. Th e DES fl eet outsources

about 70 percent of its major vehicle main-

tenance with a support team of three tech-

nicians in its sole in-house repair shop.

He said that having a Toyota factory

school positioned in nearby Portland, Ore.,

made tech training easy. Some hybrid OEM

training has been provided free of charge

by the manufacturers, others have associ-

ated costs.

“Th e network of vendors who perform

the majority of the work on our fl eet vehi-

ReductionStrategies

FLEET VEHICLE LONG-TERM RENTAL RATES (30-DAYS-PLUS)

Description Class Code Monthly Rate

Cost Per Mile Over First 500

Passenger Cars

SEDAN-HYBRID ALT $242 $0.29

SEDAN-HYBRID-PREMIUM ALTB $272 $0.34

SEDAN PAI $251 $0.33

SEDAN-AWD PAI AWD $279 $0.37

SEDAN-PATROL PAP $340 $0.55

SEDAN-SW SAI $275 $0.37

Passenger & Cargo Vans

VAN-7/8 PASSENGER BAF $352 $0.52

VAN-MINI-7/8 PASSENGER BAM $279 $0.38

VAN-12 PASSENGER CAG $343 $0.50

VAN-PASSENGER-WHEELCHAIR CAI $430 $0.64

VAN-MINI-CARGO CAL $312 $0.45

VAN-MAXI-CARGO CAM $335 $0.49

VAN-MINI-CARGO-AWD CD1 $312 $0.43

VAN-MAXI-CARGO-AWD CD2 $316 $0.44

VAN-SPRINTER-CARGO SPV $380 $0.53

VAN-STEP-CARGO STV $690 $1.13

Pickup Trucks & Utility Vehicles

BOX TRUCK BOX $529 $0.93

TRUCK-1/2T-4X2 UA2 $314 $0.45

TRUCK-3/4T-4X2 UA3 $319 $0.46

SUV-LARGE-4X4 UD5 $346 $0.48

SUV-MEDIUM-4X4 UD7 $318 $0.44

SUV-HYBRID-SMALL-4X4 UDA $287 $0.37

SUV-HYBRID-SMALL-4X2 UDB $268 $0.34

TRUCK-1/2T-4X4-CREW UDC $324 $0.45

TRUCK-SM-4X4 UDD $285 $0.39

TRUCK-1/2T-4X4 UDH $297 $0.41

TRUCK-3/4T-4X4 UDT $324 $0.45

* Effective 1/1/2012 © Copyright 2011 DES

The above chart references the State of Washington’s DES actual rental rates for long-term fl eet vehicle rentals (30-days-plus). Note that the regular passenger car sedan has a higher cost per mile than the hybrid passenger car sedan (highlighted above).

GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 21GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 21 2/15/12 1:52 PM2/15/12 1:52 PM

Page 24: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

GF0911toolbox.indd 1 8/19/11 8:46:33 AM

PETROLEUM REDUCTION

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201222

fl eets and involves many aspects of govern-

ment operations across multiple agencies.

Th e State fl eet serves as a model for pri-

vate and municipal fl eets leading the way

with its reduction plans and goals.

Washington’s initiative has “teeth” and

the backing of state leadership as substan-

tiated by state leadership in executive or-

der and law. Specifi cally, some of the actions

that the Governor’s EO 05-09 requires state

agencies to include:

● Continue to work with six other West-

ern states and four Canadian provinces in

the Western Climate Initiative to devel-

op a regional emissions reduction pro-

gram design.

● Advise the federal government and

Washington’s congressional delegation on

designing a national program that refl ects

State priorities.

● Work with companies that emit 25,000

metric tons or more each year to develop

emissions reduction strategies.

● Work with businesses and interested

stakeholders to develop recommendations

on emission benchmarks by industry to

make sure 2020 reduction targets are met.

● Work with DNR to develop a forestry

off set program and other fi nancial incen-

tives for the forestry and the forest prod-

ucts industry.

● Evaluate a low-carbon fuel standard or

alternative requirements to reduce carbon

diesel vehicles.

Fleet vehicles are not the only method

Washington is using to reduce its petro-

leum consumption. In 2011, Washington

used more than 335,000 gallons of biodies-

el in the State’s ferries.

On its climate change website, the State’s

Ecology Department summarizes its posi-

tion this way: “Th e State is taking a com-

prehensive approach in developing and im-

plementing a practical and coordinated set

of policies and solutions to meet the green-

house gas (GHG) emissions reductions ad-

opted into law in 2008, and to unleash in-

novation, investment, and job creation. A

broad coalition of leaders, stakeholders,

and the public are off ering their thoughts

and ideas as the State leads the way on re-

ducing GHG emissions, growing the clean

energy economy, and reducing our reliance

on imported fuels.”

Since Washington has a considerable

amount of hydro power, Bazard said the

major GHG producer is transportation

(vehicles, boats, and aircraft ). He considers

biodiesel preferable to regular petroleum

diesel because it produces lower harmful

emissions and is more sustainable. Domes-

tic energy sources, such as diesel made from

agricultural products (such as soybeans)

reduce U.S. dependence on foreign fuels.

DES has been able to push a hybrid-

vehicle-type agenda with the help of

Governor Christine Gregoire’s Executive

Order (EO) 05-01, eff ective in 2005, and

through supportive fl eet policies and goal

setting. Fleet is mandated to convert to

all biofuels, including E-85, biodiesel, or

electricity by 2015.

Th e Washington state legislature also es-

tablished progressive requirements for not

just fl eet but state government to reduce

GHG emissions and its carbon footprint.

Becoming a Model for Other Fleets

As any fl eet manager, public or private,

will tell you, the support and buy-in of

leadership is a necessity to ensure reduc-

tion philosophies are carried out and goals

met. Fleet cost-cutting, petroleum reduc-

tion, and targeting emissions reductions

go hand-in-hand. Th e approach utilized in

Washington reaches well beyond individual

cles have had no trouble handling our hy-

brid maintenance and repair needs,” Ba-

zard commented.

According to Bazard, selling agencies

on hybrids was pretty easy; some basic in-

formation sharing facilitated the success-

ful change. For example, it was necessary

to orient drivers to the simple diff erenc-

es in vehicle starting procedures with hy-

brids, such as using a key fob or button in

lieu of an ignition key.

Operating a successful and cost-eff ective

fl eet program is dependent on appropriate

vehicle replacement cycles.

Washington has been successful in cy-

cling fl eet vehicles out when maintenance

costs begin to climb, in part, due to the use

of certifi cates of participation at interest rates

of around 2.6 percent. Th e hybrid fl eet con-

sists of the Toyota Prius and Camry, Ford

Escape and Fusion, and Honda models.

Agencies that initially resisted the DES

recently adopted the vehicle leasing busi-

ness model; however, since the consolida-

tion occurred, they are enjoying the bene-

fi ts of centralized replacement planning and

newer, more fuel-effi cient vehicles, some-

thing that replacement planning at the big

picture level enables.

DES currently oversees many of the State’s

vehicles, including social and health servic-

es agencies, Dept. of Health, Labor and In-

dustries, and Fish and Wildlife, and it will

embark on an even more expansive con-

solidation soon. In the near future, the De-

partments of Agriculture, Military Aff airs,

Ecology, Veterans Aff airs, and Corrections

will all fall under the new DES umbrella.

Biofuel Use Growing in State Fleet

Washington fl eet has employed other

methods to curb its petroleum appetite, in-

cluding more widespread use of biofuels.

Th e Washington Dept. of Transportation

has about 126 fueling sites, which utilize

B-20 during summer months and B-10 in

the winter. Th is has resulted in further re-

ductions of petroleum for the State’s fl eet.

Last year, 337,000 gallons of petroleum

were replaced by B-100. Th e B-100 was

used to create blends ranging from B-5 to

B-20. Overall, Bazard said biodiesel repre-

sented 12 percent of the fuel used in fl eet’s

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In 2011, the State of Wash-ington replaced 337,000 gallons of petroleum with B-100, which was used to create blends ranging from B-5 to B-20.

GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 22GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 22 2/15/12 1:52 PM2/15/12 1:52 PM

Page 26: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

WT0312fsc.indd 1 2/14/12 11:33 AM

(3) By 2050, reduce emissions to the great-

er reduction of 57.5-percent below 2005

levels or 70-percent below the expected

state government emissions that year.

■ By October 1 of each even-numbered

year beginning in 2012, each state agency

shall report to the department the actions

taken to meet the emission reduction tar-

gets under the strategy for the preceding

fi scal biennium. Th e department may au-

thorize the department of general admin-

istration to report on behalf of any state

agency having fewer than 500 full-time

equivalent employees at any time during

the reporting period. Th e department shall

cooperate with the department of gener-

al administration and the department of

community, trade, and economic devel-

opment to develop consolidated report-

ing methodologies that incorporate emis-

sion reduction actions taken across all or

substantially all state agencies.

■ All state agencies shall cooperate in

providing information to the department;

the department of general administration;

and the department of community, trade,

and economic development for the pur-

poses of this section.

Washington’s approach to cost, petroleum,

and emissions reductions is multi-faceted.

In addition to planning and goal set-

ting, agencies are required to report met-

rics to chart progress periodically for ac-

countability. As part of the work relating to

the State Agency Climate Leadership Act,

Washington has taken a look at its progress

via a survey of state government agencies.

A summary of those responses provides

insight into some additional successful strat-

egies employed by fl eets today to cut fuel

consumption.

Other components of Washington’s Blue-

print for Fleet Fuel Consumption Reduc-

tion — Survey Results Summary include:

● 86 percent of agencies responding have

cut the use of gasoline.

● 66 percent disposed of vehicles 10

years old or more.

● 67 percent are purchasing more fuel-

effi cient vehicle types.

● 64 percent have purchased hybrids.

● 21 percent have purchased plug-in

electrics.

● 64 percent are buying smaller vehicles.

● 65 percent have internal policies dis-

couraging SUVs and large passenger

vehicles.

● 70 percent encourage better preven-

tive maintenance on vehicles.

● 56 percent had their own internal fuel

effi ciency policies.

● 27 percent of agencies responding

limit idling.

● 33 percent have reduced their fl eet size.

● 91 percent have taken action to re-

duce costs, fuel consumed, and green-

house gas emissions.

In addition, the majority of fl eets sur-

veyed had business trip reduction policies,

invested in video conferencing technology,

and encouraged carpools. About 60 percent

of agencies responding invested in or pro-

moted the use of video conferencing sys-

tems for travel avoidance with more than

85 percent of the agencies responding hav-

ing attended conferences via webinar and

encouraged ridesharing and van pooling.

A majority, about 89 percent of those re-

sponding to the survey had increased per-

missions for employees to telecommute

and telework.

While government agencies are taking

a leadership role in fi nding ways to reduce

fuel consumption for work tasks, Wash-

ington’s eff orts don’t stop there. For exam-

ple a number of agencies worked to locate

work sites that government employees could

walk, rideshare, or bike to.

Coupled with a comprehensive ap-

proach to providing fuel-effi cient and

hybrid vehicles for agencies to carry out

work missions, Washington has succeed-

ed in cutting fuel costs, reducing fuel con-

sumed, and benefi tting the environment

for its citizens.

About the AuthorBarbara Bonansinga has worked in fl eet management with the State of Illinois for more than 25 years. She can be reached at [email protected].

PETROLEUM REDUCTION

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201224

emissions from the transportation sector.

● Join with WSDOT, other West Coast

states, and the private sector to make alter-

native fuels, including electricity for plug-

in vehicles, available along the West Coast

highway and adjoining metropolitan centers.

● Working with the larger regional trans-

portation councils, develop regional trans-

portation plans that will increase transit op-

tions, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

● Address the impacts of climate change,

including rising sea levels and the risks to

water supplies.

In addition, the Washington State Leg-

islature mandated as follows:

■ “All state agencies shall meet the state-

wide greenhouse gas emission limits estab-

lished in RCW 70.235.020 to achieve the

following, using the estimates and strate-

gy established in subsections (2) and (3)

of this section:

(1) By July 1, 2020, reduce emissions by

15 percent from 2005 emissions levels.

(2) By 2035, reduce emissions to 36 per-

cent below 2005 levels.

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In fi scal-year 2011, the Washington state fl eet drove more than 23.6 million miles. Averag-ing gasoline costs at $3.50 per gallon, the State spent more than $3.3 million on fuel.

Look for Part 2 of this series on Proven Petroleum Reduction

Strategies, focusing on additional approaches to cutting fuel costs, pe-troleum consumption and emissions

in the next issue of Green Fleet.

app

GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 24GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 24 2/15/12 1:52 PM2/15/12 1:52 PM

Page 27: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

MAY 22-23, 2012RENAISSANCE SCHAUMBURG

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PLUS: Networking Sessions! All attendees receive a CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION from Automotive Fleet Magazine and a FLASH DRIVE filled with speaker presentations, ready-to-use templates and Excel spreadsheets!

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WT0312fsc.indd 1 2/14/12 11:33 AMGFLEET0312petroleum.indd 25GFLEET0312petroleum.indd 25 2/15/12 1:52 PM2/15/12 1:52 PM

Page 28: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201226

Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition is paving the way for electric vehicles in the greater Charlotte region

By Julie Sutor

As electric vehicles hit the market in

increasing numbers, Jason Wager

and Emily Parker of the Centralina Clean

Fuels Coalition (CCFC) are helping fl eets

plug in and charge up. CCFC, one of North

Carolina’s two U.S. Department of Ener-

gy (DOE)-designated Clean Cities coali-

tions, is working with public- and private-

sector partners to deploy electric vehicles;

plan for charging infrastructure; and edu-

cate fl eets and consumers about the asso-

ciated benefi ts, challenges, and opportu-

nities of electrifi cation.

“We’re making steady progress through

a lot of thoughtful planning,” said Wa-

ger, who has led the coalition since 2000.

“We’re looking closely at what’s working

elsewhere before we invest our resourc-

es, and we’re making sure that our infra-

structure deployment is commensurate

with market demand.”

Th e University of North Carolina Char-

lotte is one of many CCFC stakeholders

turning to electricity as an alternative to

petroleum. Th e campus has more than 110

electric-drive vehicles that serve a variety

of functions, including groundskeeping,

maintenance, and housekeeping.

“[Th e university is] reducing petroleum

use, saving money on fuel and protecting

students from breathing exhaust fumes,”

Wager said.

Other EV leaders in the coalition in-

clude the City of Charlotte and Duke

Energy, which have already incorpo-

rated Chevrolet Volts and Nissan Leafs

into their fleets.

On the statewide level, CCFC is leading

the North Carolina PEV Readiness Initia-

tive: Plugging In From Mountains to Sea.

With $500,000 from the DOE, participants

in the initiative are preparing a state read-

iness plan, developing regional plans for

North Carolina’s most populous regions,

and strengthening existing local and re-

gional eff orts.

Th rough the initiative, CCFC recently

launched a new website, www.Go4PEV.

org, dedicated to providing EV readiness

guidance to businesses, government agen-

cies and consumers, and sharing lessons

from early adopters.

“What we’re hearing from folks is that

there’s a need for education and collabo-

ration. If the City of Charlotte has gone

through the process of procuring charg-

ing equipment, for example, why not share

what it learned?” Wager asked.

About the AuthorJulie Sutor is a staff member with the Com-munications Offi ce of the National Renew-able Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo.

Electrifying Transportationin North Carolina

a

g

e

e

s

w

l

A Chevrolet Volt and a plug-in Toyota Prius charge at a media event held at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia, N.C.

A charging station, partially funded by the CCFC, at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia, N.C.

CCFC Coordinator Jason Wager and Co-coordinator Emily Parker get a feel for event sponsor Duke Energy’s high-performance Tesla PEV at a CCFC PEV education workshop. 

(L-R) CCFC Coordinator Jason Wager, the City of Gastonia’s Kristy Crisp, and CCFC Co-coordinator Emily Parker unveil a GE Gexpro Level II, partially funded by CCFC.

Get Involved With Clean CitiesThrough the work of nearly 100 lo-cal coalitions, Clean Cities advanc-

es the nation’s economic, environ-mental, and energy security by reducing petroleum use in transportation. Clean Cities is an initiative of the U.S. Depart-

ment of Energy. Find out more at www.cleancities.energy.gov.

For more information about CCFC, visit www.4cleanfuels.com or

www.Go4PEV.org.

Tc

es

GFLEET0312cooordinator.indd 26GFLEET0312cooordinator.indd 26 2/15/12 1:58 PM2/15/12 1:58 PM

Page 29: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

Wish fi nding the right employee was always this obvious?

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MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 27

GFLEET0312cooordinator.indd 27GFLEET0312cooordinator.indd 27 2/15/12 1:58 PM2/15/12 1:58 PM

Page 30: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

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GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201228

Today’s market is awash in alternative

-fuel options — from biodiesel to

natural gas to electricity to propane autogas.

While each has clear advantages for use in

medium-duty (Class 4-7) trucks, they also

have disadvantages. Th e key to getting the

right menu of fuel sources is to understand

their advantages and disadvantages, weigh

them, and make a decision based on a fl eet’s

needs. Th e following is an overview of the

leading alt-fuel technologies in the medium-

duty market spotlighting each option’s

benefi ts, drawbacks, and potential future

as fl eet fuel sources.

BIODIESEL

Biodiesel is a clean-burning alternative

renewable fuel produced from vegetable

oils (such as soybeans), animal fats, and

yellow grease (recycled cooking oil from

restaurants). Th e term “biodiesel” techni-

cally refers to the pure fuel (100-percent

biodiesel or B-100) before blending with

diesel fuel. Biodiesel “blends” are labeled

By Sean Lyden

Fleets considering alternative fuels have fi ve options to consider:

● Biodiesel, a clean-burning alternative renewable fuel produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, and yellow grease.

● Natural gas, which can be in compressed or liquefi ed forms.

● Propane autogas, also known as lique- fi ed petroleum gas.

● All-electric, which can either be powered from energy collected from a plug-in source or from battery cells located inside the vehicle.

● Hybrid power, which uses a combination of conventional gasoline or diesel and electricity.

at a glance

When it comes to alternative-fuel systems for medium-duty (Class 4-7) trucks, one size does not fi t all. Fleets have fi ve green options to consider.

“However, in order to

guarantee the most effi -

cient, widespread, and

cost-eff ective distribu-

tion of biodiesel over the

long term, more biodiesel will need to

be transported via pipeline,” Weaver said.

“Th ere is already one U.S. pipeline active-

ly transporting biodiesel blends, and sub-

stantial research is currently underway with

the pipeline and petroleum industries to en-

able greater biodiesel distribution via pipe-

line in the future.”

A current list of retailers is available at the

NBB’s “Find a Retailer” link: www.biodiesel.

org/buyingbiodiesel/retailfuelingsites.

For centrally fueled fl eets (with onsite fuel

tanks), a guide to biodiesel distributors can

be found at: www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiod

iesel/distributors.

Fuel quality. Biodiesel that does not meet

strict quality standards can diminish engine

performance, clog fi lters and injectors, and

cause numerous other costly repairs. While

this is a concern at the moment, high-standard

biodiesel is being produced.

“Today, biodiesel production is held to

extremely high-quality standards as dictat-

ed by a thorough and constantly improving

set of American Society of Testing & Mate-

rials (ASTM) specifi cations for biodiesel,”

Weaver explained. “Th ose standards include

ASTM D6751 for pure biodiesel, ASTM

D975 for blends up to 5-percent biodies-

el, and ASTM D7467 for blends between 6

and 20 percent. Biodiesel fuel quality is fur-

ther ensured by the industry’s robust quali-

ty control program, BQ-9000.”

Cold weather operability. “Th e per-

formance of biodiesel in cold conditions

is markedly worse than that of petroleum

diesel,” said Anthony Radich, U.S. Depart-

in terms of percent biodiesel. For example,

B-5 is a blend of 5-percent biodiesel and

95-percent diesel.

BIODIESEL: UPSIDE

Reduced emissions. According to the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),

B-20 biodiesel blend cuts unburned hydro-

carbons by 20 percent, carbon monoxide

by 12 percent, and particulate matter by 12

percent, compared to conventional diesel.

Low initial investment to “go green.”

Biodiesel operates in conventional die-

sel engines with few, if any, modifi cations

and is distributed using today’s infrastruc-

ture, enabling fl eets to keep spare parts’ in-

ventories, leverage central fueling stations,

and utilize skilled diesel mechanics, which

keeps costs low.

Growing original equipment manu-

facturer (OEM) acceptance. All major au-

tomakers and engine manufacturers in the

U.S. accept the use of at least B-5.

“Now more than 60 percent of those com-

panies also support B-20 or higher blends,

making it easier for fl eets to use biodiesel

blends in their vehicles with confi dence,”

said Jennifer Weaver, OEM outreach and

education specialist for the National Bio-

diesel Board (NBB).

BIODIESEL: DOWNSIDE

Fuel infrastructure and cost. Current-

ly, there are more than 3,600 retail and dis-

tributor outlets for biodiesel in the U.S. Bio-

diesel distributors also deliver fuel to fl eets’

own central fueling tanks nationwide. Th e

federal biodiesel tax credit and numerous

state incentives help to bring the cost of bio-

diesel in line with petroleum diesel.

MAWhen it comes to alternative fuel systems for medium duty (Class 4 7) truckss A

NN

Wh it t lt ti f l t f di d t (Cl 4 7) t k

Alternat ive-Fuel Evaluating Medium-Duty Truck

GRN0112green.indd 28GRN0112green.indd 28 2/8/12 10:02 AM2/8/12 10:02 AM

Page 31: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 29

ment of Energy analyst. In his study Bio-

diesel Performance, Costs, and Use, Radich

noted that the temperature at which wax

crystals can form and potentially clog

fuel lines and fi lters with biodiesel is

higher than that for petroleum diesel. 

On the upside, fuel suppliers

can produce biodiesel with addi-

tives that enable it to perform in ex-

tremly cold conditions. For detailed

information on handling cold fl ow is-

sues, visit: www.biodiesel.org/pdf_fi les/fu

elfactsheets/Cold%20Flow.PDF.

BIODIESEL’S FUTURE

In July 2010, the U.S. EPA implemented

the Renewable Fuels Standard 2, calling for

increased volumes of biodiesel to be used in

the U.S. marketplace through at least 2022.

Th e biodiesel production requirement for

2011 is 800 million gallons, ramping up to

as much as 5 billion gallons by 2022. “With

more biodiesel available in the marketplace

and ever-increasing support for biodiesel

by the original equipment manufacturer

(OEM) community, the future for fl eet use

of this advanced biofuel looks very bright,”

Weaver explained.

NATURAL GAS

Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) use inter-

nal combustion engines that are very sim-

ilar to those that run on gasoline or diesel.

Th ere are two types of NGV systems: ded-

icated and bi-fuel. Dedicated systems are

designed to run exclusively on natural gas;

bi-fuel can run on natural gas or conven-

tional fuel (diesel or gasoline) but not both

at the same time.

Light-duty sedans, pickups, and some

smaller medium-duty trucks use either

dedicated or bi-fuel systems, while most

medium- and heavy-duty engines run

dedicated systems only.

Natural gas may be stored onboard in one

of two ways, either as compressed natural

gas (CNG) or liquefi ed natural gas (LNG).

LNG is currently used in less than 5 percent

of NGVs with nearly all used by heavy-duty

trucking and some transit bus operations

because its density allows for a smaller fuel

system footprint. CNG is far more prevalent

in light-duty and medium-duty work trucks.

Factory-built NGVs for delivery fl eets,

public works, and other larger work truck

applications (Class 6 and larger) are avail-

able from many of the major truck manu-

facturers, including Freightliner, Peterbilt,

Kenworth, and International. Conver-

sions are available on Class 5-7 Work-

horse, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp

(FCCC), and Isuzu trucks ordered with

gasoline engines.

NATURAL GAS: UPSIDE

Environmental benefi ts. According

to Natural Gas Vehicles for America

(NGVAmerica), NGVs produce up to

95-percent less overall toxins compared to

gasoline and diesel vehicles, and produce

between 20- and 30-percent less greenhouse

gas emissions.

North American fuel source. Since

nearly 98 percent of all natural gas used in

the U.S. comes from North America, pro-

ponents argue that increased use, especial-

ly in the transportation sector, which cur-

rently relies heavily on imported oil, is a

viable path for the United States to achieve

greater energy independence now and for

the foreseeable future.

Comparatively low fuel costs. In the

most recent Clean Cities Alternative-Fuel

Price Report (www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/

pdfs/afpr_apr_11.pdf), CNG off ers a sav-

ings of $1.74 per equivalent gallon of diesel

and $1.82 per equivalent gallon of gasoline.

“Current national fuel prices provide a

compelling case for converting, and, de-

pending on the fl eet application, provide a

payback period of two to four years,” said

Jonathan Culp, manager of strategic alli-

ances for PHH Arval.

NATURAL GAS: DOWNSIDE

NGV Premium. Th e incremental cost

on OEM-equipped and aft er-market con-

version natural gas vehicles varies wide-

ly based on the amount of fuel storage in-

stalled, but may range from $20,000 to as

much $50,000.

While there have been substantial fed-

eral and state tax incentives and/or grants

that lower NGV purchase premiums in the

past, the federal credit for purchasing NGV

expired at the end of 2010, but there still are

state-level incentives. (To learn more about

what is available in your state, visit www.

ngvc.org/incentives/index.html).

Infrastructure. Despite fuel cost advan-

tages, this is a primary constraint impeding

widespread fl eet adoption of natural gas,

even in high-mileage applications. Current-

ly, there are about 1,000 compressed natural

gas (CNG) fueling locations in the U.S., but

only 50 percent are open to the public. A list-

ing of public CNG refueling stations is avail-

able at: www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/nat

ural_gas_stations.html.

NATURAL GAS’ FUTURE

Natural gas has some clear advantag-

es, but the lack of a natural gas infrastruc-

ture is a big hurdle to its widespread im-

plementation.

“While some states, such as California

and Utah, have a more well developed nat-

ural gas refueling infrastructure, we need to

spur the investment needed to increase the

pace of construction,” said Kathryn Clay,

executive director of the Drive Natural Gas

Initiative. “Th e [recent] announcement by

Chesapeake Energy of its partnership with

Clean Energy Fuel’s Corp will bring about

another 150 liquefi ed natural gas (LNG) sta-

tions to our nation’s interstates. While this is

Technologies

GRN0112green.indd 29GRN0112green.indd 29 2/8/12 10:02 AM2/8/12 10:02 AM

Page 32: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

lower cost of propane autogas (compared to

diesel and gasoline), reduced maintenance

costs over the life of a vehicle, and extended

engine life,” Wayne explained. “Propane

autogas burns cleaner in engines than

gasoline and diesel, resulting in reduced

maintenance costs and longer engine life,

which helps curb costs.

Limited availability of propane-autogas-

fueled vehicle platforms. Wayne said the

industry has been aggressively investing

in development to rollout a wider range of

propane-autogas vehicles for fl eets.

“In the past two years, more than a dozen

new on-road platforms fueled by propane

autogas have been developed with funding

from PERC, and more vehicle platforms

are currently being developed by ROUSH

CleanTech, CleanFuel USA, and Freightliner

Custom Cab and Chassis,” Wayne said.

Limited Fueling Infrastructure. “Th e

propane industry has worked with fl eets

to establish a refueling infrastructure that

works best for fl eets’ needs,” Wayne said.

“Onsite refueling dispensers are available

for centralized fl eets, while thousands of

off site refueling stations across the U.S.

make propane autogas readily available.”

To fi nd the nearest propane fueling

station, go to: www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/

locator/stations.

For more information for centrally fueled

fl eets, visit: www.autogasusa.org/fueling-

with-propane/refueling-options/supplier-

refueling.

PROPANE AUTOGAS’ FUTURE

While not a common part of a medium-

duty fl eet’s fuel menu, there are examples

of market segments that are showing the

relevance and successful implementation

of propane-autogas-fueled vehicles.

“Th e acceptance of school buses, airport,

ground transportation, and delivery vehicles

is positive proof that propane-autogas-

fueled fl eet vehicles make sense not only

today, but also in the future, as pressure

for fl eet managers to run sustainable and

cost-eff ective operations increases,” Wayne

said. “PERC anticipates growth in this

marketplace with new engine technologies

and products, and is positioned to continue

to support growth in this market through

research and development, safety, and

training programs.”

ALL-ELECTRIC

Also known as plug-in electric vehicles

(PEVs) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs),

all-electric medium-duty trucks are pro-

pelled entirely by electricity from the util-

ity grid, with a range of 80 to100 miles or

more on battery power.

OEMs such as Navistar (www.estartrucks.

com), Smith Electric (www.smithelectric.

com), ZeroTruck (www.zerotruck.com),

and Freightliner Customer Chassis Corp.

(www.freightlinerchassis.com) off er all-

electric trucks with gross vehicle weight

ratings (GVWRs) of 12,000-lbs. to 29,500-

lbs., top speeds up to 65 mph, and ranges

up to 100 miles on a full charge.

ALL-ELECTRIC: UPSIDE

Zero tailpipe emissions. Since BEVs do

not burn liquid or gaseous fossil fuels at any

time, they produce zero tailpipe emissions.

Lower fuel and operational costs. Th e

biggest advantage for PEVs and BEVs from

a fl eet perspective is the operating costs for

electric vehicles are substantially lower than

diesel trucks. “Th e cost-per-mile for BEVs

may be a third of the cost-per-mile for die-

sel trucks of the same weight class, includ-

ing maintenance costs,” said Dave Hurst,

senior analyst, Pike Research.

ALL-ELECTRIC: DOWNSIDE

High initial cost. Th e upfront cost of me-

dium-duty electric trucks is about double

that of diesel, and fl eets are typically incur-

ring additional costs for the recharging in-

frastructure, including potentially trench-

ALT-FUEL TECHNOLOGY

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201230

an important step, more needs to be done.”

Clay added that federal tax incentives

could help, as could decisions by local pub-

lic utility commissions to encourage the

development of NGV refueling stations.

PROPANE AUTOGAS

Propane autogas, also known as liquefi ed

petroleum gas (LPG), is used as a fuel in

internal combustion engines in light-,

medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles.

Propane is produced from both natural

gas processing and crude oil refi ning,

in roughly equal amounts from each

source. Proponents point to the fuel’s

potential to wean America off foreign

oil, as 97 percent of propane consumed in

the U.S. is produced in North America.

PROPANE AUTOGAS: UPSIDE

Widespread use. Propane autogas is

the third most common vehicle fuel in the

United States, used in bus, taxi, shuttle, and

light- and medium-duty truck fl eets, ac-

cording Steve Wayne, chief technology of-

fi cer, Propane Education & Research Coun-

cil (PERC). He attributes the expansion of

propane to a rapidly growing maintenance

and refueling infrastructure, in addition to

increased availability of propane-autogas-

fueled vehicles.

Fuel cost savings. According to a recent

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report,

propane autogas off ers 86-cents-per-gallon

savings compared to diesel.

Reduced emissions. “Propane autogas-

fueled fl eet vehicles emit 12-percent less

carbon dioxide, about 20-percent less nitrogen

oxide, and up to 60-percent less carbon

monoxide than gasoline-fueled vehicles,

which provide a sustainable solution for

fl eets looking to reduce emissions and fuel

costs,” Wayne said.

PROPANE AUTOGAS: DOWNSIDE

Conversion Cost. Trucks equipped

with liquid propane autogas injection sys-

tems have an initial purchase price between

$4,000 to $12,000 more than conventional

gasoline or diesel trucks.

“Th e conversion cost can be off set by the

PHOTO: ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/DOODLEDANCE

Natural gas comes in two forms: com-pressed natural gas

(CNG) and liquifi ed natural gas

(LNG). LNG is used in only 5 percent of vehicles, main-

ly heavy-duty trucks and tran-sit buses.

GRN0112green.indd 30GRN0112green.indd 30 2/8/12 10:02 AM2/8/12 10:02 AM

Page 33: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 31

ing for the charging equipment power line

and adding new electric service. “Th ese

costs may not be included in a cost-per-

mile calculation, but are defi nitely consid-

ered when calculating the return on invest-

ment” Hurst noted. 

To narrow the price gap, the Recovery

Act established tax credits for purchas-

ing electric vehicles ($2,500-$7,500 per

vehicle, depending on the battery capac-

ity) and conversion kits to retrofi t con-

ventionally powered vehicles with elec-

tric vehicle capability ($4,000 per vehicle,

maximum). For details on the federal tax

incentive go to: www.afdc.energy.gov/

afdc/laws/law/US/409.

Some states are also off ering as much as

$5,000, in addition to federal incentives, in

tax credits for electric vehicles. For more

information on these state tax incentives,

visit www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/laws/state.

Limited applications. Since the existing

range for all-electric medium-duty trucks

is approximately 100 miles, there is a small

niche in which these trucks can feasibly

operate — most prominently the urban-

delivery market.

Limited charging infrastructure. All-

electric medium-duty trucks currently work

best for fl eets that have return-to-base op-

erations, where the trucks can charge over-

night and then deploy on their routes the

next day, without the need to recharge while

away from “home.”

So, what’s holding back BEV growth

in the medium-duty market is the abili-

ty to charge away from home base, to re-

duce “range anxiety” for drivers, and ex-

tend routes beyond existing battery range

limits. To overcome this challenge, feder-

al stimulus money is being used to subsi-

dize developing residential and commer-

cial “quick charge” EV charging stations in

select urban markets.

ALL-ELECTRIC’S FUTURE

Genevieve Cullen, vice president,

Electric Drive Transportation Association

(EDTA), expects to see battery electric

vehicle (BEV) fl eets growing over the

next fi ve to 10 years. “Announcements of

substantial purchase plans by some of the

largest fl eets — General Electric, FedEx

Express, and UPS — are indicators of the

market’s growing interest,” she said. “Market

share will grow faster as costs come down

over the next few years as manufacturers

achieve economies of scale.”

HYBRID

Medium-duty hybrids use a combina-

tion of diesel and electricity. In slower (be-

low 30 miles per hour) stop-and-go traffi c,

the hybrid system acts primarily as an elec-

tric motor, drawing power from the bat-

tery pack, and automatically switches be-

tween electricity and diesel, as needed. In

steady driving conditions above 30 miles

per hour, the hybrid truck is powered by

the diesel engine.

Factory-built hybrid trucks are available

from Kenworth (T270 Class 6 and T370

Class 7 Hybrids), Peterbilt (330 Hybrid),

and International (Durastar Hybrid). Th ere

are also several aft ermarket hybrid conver-

sion systems compatible with most medi-

um-duty trucks.

HYBRID: UPSIDE

Fuel cost savings. According to Hurst at

Pike Research, the operational cost (includ-

ing fuel and maintenance) of medium-duty

hybrids is approximately 25-percent lower

than conventional diesel-powered trucks.

Extended range compared to all-elec-

tric vehicles. “If it’s an application where the

vehicle needs to be in a heavier class (Class

5 and up), needs an energy-hungry refrig-

eration unit or other equipment, will need

to be used for multiple shift s (so no down-

time to recharge), or has a full load at the

end of its route, then a hybrid may be a bet-

ter match,” Hurst said.

HYBRID: DOWNSIDE

High conversion cost. Hybridization is

expensive — as much as $20,000-$30,000

or more — so it’s a good idea to do exten-

sive route analysis before undertaking a hy-

bridization project, advised Jonathan Culp,

manager of strategic alliances, PHH Arval,

a full-service fl eet management company

based in Sparks, Md.

“Begin by matching the drive cycle and

route to a specifi c conversion spec to ensure

that you will be able to achieve the goals of

the project,” he said. “For example, I would

not advise a client to hybridize a long-haul

vehicle. Rather, I would recommend doing

so to a vehicle that makes constant starts-

and-stops and has a known delivery route.”

HYBRID’S FUTURE

Both BEV and hybrid medium-duty

trucks should both see strong growth and

be on similar trajectories to some degree,

predicted Hurst of Pike Research. 

“Th e diff erence between them is that the

hybrid truck market has a 10-year head start

on the BEV truck market at the moment,”

he explained. “So, while we anticipate that

hybrid medium-duty trucks will reach

sales of almost 13,000 vehicles per year by

2017, during that same year, BEV trucks

will likely sell about 3,000. Th e main reason

for the diff erences will be the costs and the

duty cycle of the two vehicles will appeal to

diff erent fl eets for diff erent reasons.”

The Bottom LineSo, which green energy source is the best?

Th e short answer, according to the experts,

is all of them, but for diff erent reasons.

“Ten years from now, fl eets will most like-

ly have some of each of these technologies,

along with emerging technologies such as

plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, and per-

haps, even near-fi eld charging,” said Culp of

PHH Arval. “Th is is not a VHS versus Beta-

max issue. All of these technologies are going

to be important in helping to reduce our pe-

troleum dependence, and each will provide a

positive return on the investment given the

right niche and fl eet application. I would ad-

vise companies to stay current with emerg-

ing trends and build partnerships with other

fl eets to fi nd out what is working for them.”

PHO

TO: ©

ISTO

CK

PHO

TO.C

OM

/KG

4IC

N

Biodiesel is a clean-burning alternative re-newable fuel produced from vegetable oils (such as soybeans), animal fats, and yellow grease (recycled cooking oil from restaurants).

GRN0112green.indd 31GRN0112green.indd 31 2/8/12 10:02 AM2/8/12 10:02 AM

Page 34: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

VEHICLE SHOWCASE GREEN

E

NISSAN LEAFThe Nissan Leaf is the fi rst mass-mar-

ket electric vehicle. Powered by a lithium-ion battery pack composed of 48 compact modules and a high-response 80kW AC synchronous motor generating 107 hp and 207 lb.-ft. of torque, the Leaf has a 100-mile range on a single charge based upon U.S. EPA LA4 City Cycle conducted in laboratory tests. Technology assists the driver with range management.

The Nissan Leaf can be charged up to 80 percent of its full capacity in under 30 minutes when equipped with a quick charge port and using a DC fast charger. Charging at home through a 220v outlet is estimated to take approximately seven hours.

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201232

The lithium-ion battery pack carries a warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles. The quick charge port is standard on the SL model.

The front-wheel drive Nissan Leaf uti-lizes a dedicated EV platform with batter-ies housed in the fl oor for optimum vehicle packaging and weight distribution.

Six vehicles covering the gamut of fuel options can help fl eets improve fuel effi ciency, lower operating costs, and reduce dependence on foreign oil.

ELECTRIC E

NATURAL GAS NG

The Nissan Leaf’s range is approximately 100 miles based on U.S. EPA LA4 City Cycle tests.

NG

HONDA CIVIC NATURAL GAS

Formerly known as the Civic GX, the fourth-generation model has been rebranded as the Civic Natural Gas to highlight its most distinctive feature: the fact that it’s a dedicated CNG vehicle.

The Civic Natural Gas is ideal for a broad range of fl eet applications, includ-ing for “runners,” supervisors, parking lot contractors, parks and recreation departments, mass transit organiza-tions, utilities, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical reps.

Featuring a four-cylinder natural gas engine, it achieves 110 hp and 106 lb.-ft. of torque with a 5-speed transmission.

The Civic Natural Gas engine produces almost zero smog-forming emissions and is the cleanest internal-combustion

vehicle certifi ed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Tier-II, Bin-2 and ILEV certifi cation as of August 2010).

Ideal for a broad range of fl eet applications, the Honda Civic Natural Gas was formerly known as the Civic GX.

GFLEET0312showcase.indd 32GFLEET0312showcase.indd 32 2/8/12 10:03 AM2/8/12 10:03 AM

Page 35: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

VEHICLE SHOWCASENG

FORD F-650 GASOLINE ENGINE: CNG/LPG UPFIT

The 2012 Ford Super Duty features a gasoline engine — a class exclusive in the medium-duty truck segment — a 6.8L three-valve gasoline engine that achieves 362 hp and 457 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine couples with a Ford 6R410 6-speed transmission with double over-drive gears.

An optional gaseous fuel preparation package is available for conversion to compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefi ed propane autogas (LPG) fuels.

Ford Commercial Trucks now feature a CNG/LPG alt-fuel choice across all com-mercial truck models. The CNG/LPG gas-eous engine prep packages are developed

NG

CNG CHEVROLET EXPRESS & GMC SAVANA

General Motors Fleet and Commercial Operations began offering Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana compressed natural gas (CNG) full-size vans in spring 2010. These CNG vehicles are powered by a specially designed Vortec 6.0L V-8 engine equipped with hardened exhaust valves, and intake and exhaust valve seats for improved wear resistance and durability with gaseous fuel systems. They are also upfi tted and delivered directly to the customer with the fully integrated and warranted dedicated gaseous fuel system in place. 

Commercial customers choose CNG because it is among the cleanest burning fuel of any alternative-fuel choice for a fl eet, according to the manufacturer. According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), CNG-powered vans can produce approximately 25-percent fewer carbon dioxide

MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 33

and tested by Ford, and the manufacturer maintains the engine and powertrain limited warranty (fi ve-years/60,000-miles), while the upfi tter is responsible for the

system component warranty. Mileage estimates for the 2012 Ford

Super Duty F-650 with CNG package is approximately 250 miles.

emissions than similar gasoline and diesel-powered vans.

The Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana CNG vans are covered by GM’s three-year/36,000-mile new vehicle lim-

ited warranty and fi ve-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and meet all EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission certifi cation requirements.

The 2012 Ford Super Duty features an optional gaseous fuel preparation package for conversion to CNG or LPG fuels.

The CNG-powered Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cargo vans are powered by a specially designed Vortec 6.0L V-8 engine.

GFLEET0312showcase.indd 33GFLEET0312showcase.indd 33 2/8/12 10:04 AM2/8/12 10:04 AM

Page 36: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

G

DODGE DART The fi rst Chrysler Group vehicle built on

Fiat Group architecture, the 2013 Dodge Dart is offered with a choice of three four-cylinder engines. Drivers can select from a new Tigershark 16-valve 2.0L engine, a 16-valve 1.4L MultiAir Intercooled Turbo engine, and a new Tigershark 16-valve 2.4L MultiAir four-cylinder engine. These three engines offer three transmission choices as well.

According to the manufacturer, the MultiAir technology delivers optimum combustion at any speed under all driving conditions by allowing direct and dynamic control of air intake and combustion.

The new vehicle features a tailored split-crosshair grille, projector headlamps and fog lamps, and accentuated fenders up front. Dodge full-width LED “racetrack” tail lamps and integrated dual exhaust

— both inspired by the Dodge Charger — are designed to accentuate the vehicle’s stance and look.

The 2013 Dodge Dart will be available in fi ve trim levels: SE, SXT, Rallye, Limited,

and R/T. It will be built in the United States at Chrysler Group’s Belvidere As-sembly Plant in Belvidere, Ill. Production of the 2013 Dodge Dart will begin in the second quarter of 2012.

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201234

GREEN VEHICLE SHOWCASE

GASOLINE G

Available in fi ve trim levels, the 2013 Dodge Dart features a choice between three different four-cylinder engines.

D

VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT TDI

The all-new 2012 Volkswagen Passat is a mid-size sedan produced in Chattanoo-ga, TN. The Passat TDI version – the only diesel option in the segment- delivers an estimated 40 mpg on the highway with the optional DSG 6-Speed Automatic, and a range of almost 740 miles on one tank of fuel.

The 2.0L TDI Clean Diesel in-line four-cylinder engine produces 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. The TDI engine is equipped with selective catalytic reduction systm (SCR), a clean engine that fulfi lls emission requirements in all 50 states.

Standard premium features include

automatic dual-zone climate control and Bluetooth - no-charge 3yr/36,000-mile scheduled carefree maintenance program is also standard.

The 2012 VW Passat is a 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick, the 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year, and received a 5-Star NHTSA safety rating.

DIESEL D

The all-new 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI delivers an EPA estimated 40 mpg high-way with an automatic transmission.

GFLEET0312showcase.indd 34GFLEET0312showcase.indd 34 2/8/12 10:04 AM2/8/12 10:04 AM

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MARCH / APRIL 2012 ■ GREEN FLEET 35

SHOWCASE TRANSIT

In 1993, the Centre Area Transportation

Authority (CATA) of State College, Pa.,

committed its transit fl eet to compressed

natural gas (CNG). It hasn’t looked back.

Th e commitment was spurred by a

partnership with its local natural gas

provider, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania.

“Columbia Gas was promoting natural

gas as a vehicle fuel, and my predecessor

argued that partnering with CATA would

be a good showcase of what it was trying

to do,” said Hugh Mose, CATA’s general

manager.

Jumping in feet fi rst, while other transit

fl eets were tentatively dipping their toes,

was a necessity. Th e fl eet’s newest vehicle

was almost a decade old, and some buses

dated to the 1960s. “Our bus fl eet was

so terribly antiquated, we needed to do

something,” Mose explained.

CNG also fi t with the community’s

interest in clean-burning domestically

produced fuels.

Navigating New TechnologyWorking with Columbia Gas, and obtain-

ing state and federal grant money, CATA

secured 16 CNG-powered Orion transit

buses and installed a fueling infrastructure.

Th e reaction when the buses were put into

service in 1996 was immediate. “Th e Orions

were demonstrably better. It really attracted

public attention,” recalled Mose, who joined

the transit system in 1995.

CATA’s entire transit fl eet of 61 buses —

primarily New Flyers — is now powered

by CNG, and serves an annual ridership of

7.1 million, including students from Th e

Pennsylvania State University.

While the CNG fl eet has been a big

success, Mose admitted being on the cut-

ting edge of alternative-fuel technology

came with some defi nite growing pains.

For instance, the fueling infrastructure

was quickly outgrown by the CNG fl eet

as the older diesel buses were cycled out.

Th ere were also issues with the technology,

both from a lack of understanding it — the

fi rst winter saw a near-catastrophe when

the desiccant in the gas dryers wasn’t kept

adequately dry, causing the fuel lines in the

buses to nearly freeze — and technological

issues with the early buses — the fi rst 24

engines required top-end overhauls because

of burned exhaust valves. Th ere were also

headaches with trying to purchase natural

gas. While these issues were daunting, Mose

credits Columbia Gas with “hand-holding

us through these challenges.”

Adapting to CNGChallenges overcome, Mose and his

CATA colleagues found they had a fl eet

that was “more popular than we could have

imagined.” Of course, the biggest benefi t

has been to the bottom line. Mose is pay-

ing about 70 cents per gallon equivalent

for natural gas, compared to $3.40 per

gallon for diesel.

CNG may bring with it some unique

challenges and benefi ts, but Mose said

fl eet management hasn’t really changed

from when it was a conventionally fueled

fl eet. “Th ere was some question about

how long the engine would last,” Mose

commented. “In our experience it is just

as long as a diesel. We have a few buses

with 300,000-plus miles.”

Th ere are also some maintenance cost

increases associated with CNG. For in-

stance, because CNG doesn’t have the same

lubrication properties as diesel, it requires

a higher, more expensive grade of oil.

As for the fl eet’s future, Mose expects to

replace all of the 1996 Orions and nine of

the 1997 New Flyers with 28 new New Flyer

coaches later this year. Of course, they will

be CNG-powered. “We’re [committed to

CNG] for the long haul,” he said, adding

that he’d be open to other economically

viable fuel types “if they materialized.”

CATA: All About PartnershipsWorking with a local natural gas provider has spelled success for Pennsylvania-based Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA). While other transit fl eets were dipping their toes in the alt-fuel waters, CATA jumped in feet fi rst. By Chris Wolski

Introducing its fi rst CNG transit bus in 1996, CATA hasn’t looked back.The fl eet is committed to CNG for the foreseeable future.

■ FACT BOXHeadquarters: State College, Pa.

Vehicles: 4 El Dorados, 16 Orions, 41 New Flyers.

Coverage: 135 square miles.

Annual ridership: 7.1 million.

GFLEET0312transit.indd 35GFLEET0312transit.indd 35 2/8/12 10:04 AM2/8/12 10:04 AM

Page 38: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

GREEN FLEET ■ MARCH / APRIL 201236

If you want to green your fl eet by reduc-

ing emissions, you need to decrease fuel

consumption. Th e easiest way to do so is to

decrease unnecessary idling. For example,

every gallon of gasoline burned idling cre-

ates 19.5 lbs. of CO2. Similarly, every un-

necessary gallon of diesel burned creates

22.4 lbs. of CO2.

Until the advent of telematics devices,

idling was not perceived to be a major prob-

lem for fl eets. But, once engine data was cap-

tured by fl eets on a large-scale basis, it quick-

ly became apparent that idling represented

a signifi cant problem. Idling for longer pe-

riods of time, whether at a jobsite, railroad

crossing, or pulling off the road to make a cell

phone call, consumes gasoline that could be

saved by simply turning off the engine. Th e

amount of unnecessary idling varies by fl eet;

however, some fl eets have recorded idling as

much as 35 percent of the time. Eliminating

an hour of idling per day will result in signif-

icant cost savings and emissions reductions

over the course of a year. For fl eets operat-

ing Class 3 and larger trucks, the savings are

even more signifi cant. For example, a typ-

ical truck fl eet burns a half-gallon of diesel

fuel for every hour a truck idles, and, in the

process, adds the equivalent of 40 miles of

wear-and-tear to the engine.

A Growing Fleet TrendReducing unnecessary idling is the sim-

plest and easiest way for a fl eet to reduce fuel

costs and unnecessary emissions. In addi-

tion, excess idling also causes needless en-

gine wear-and-tear and unnecessary noise

pollution. A typical goal for many fl eets is

to reduce engine idling time to less than 5

percent, which is measured using onboard

telematics devices.

Many fl eets have implemented anti-

idling initiatives. Sears, which operates a

fl eet of 11,000-plus owned and leased ve-

hicles, has implemented a no-idling policy

for all vehicles at the distribution facilities

for Sears Holdings Logistics Services. Sim-

ilarly, Ill.-based ComEd (Commonwealth

Edison Co.) is engaged in a major eff ort

to reduce idling among its fl eet of 3,100

vehicles. According to ComEd, if vehicle

idling were reduced by one hour per day

among all ComEd fl eet vehicles, it could

annually eliminate an estimated 4.5 mil-

lion lbs. of carbon dioxide emissions and

save $724,000 in fuel costs.

Many fl eets implement anti-idling pro-

grams using the “big stick” approach. How-

ever, the best (and most eff ective) way to

achieve sustainable long-term results is

through driver education. By modifying

driver behavior, you make your employ-

ees “greener” drivers. However, educating

drivers is not as easy as it sounds. Some

drivers mistakenly believe that frequently

starting and stopping an engine uses more

gasoline and causes additional wear-and-

tear on the vehicle. Th is may have been a

legitimate concern in the past, but, with to-

day’s fuel-injection engines, starting sys-

tems are more effi cient and don’t require

as much fuel to restart an engine. Another

common reason for excess idling is to oper-

ate an air conditioning system, so a driver

can stay cool in the summer, or to operate

a heater to stay warm in the winter. Fleet

managers struggle with this form of idling

because they want to reduce fuel costs and

emissions, but not at the expense of driv-

er morale. Th e reality is that for many em-

ployees, their vehicles are also their offi c-

es. It is up to the driver to exercise proper

discretion.

Turn Off the EngineAn anti-idling program encourages driv-

ers to turn off their engines when the ve-

hicle is not moving. Restarting an engine

uses about the same amount of gasoline

as an engine idling for 30 seconds. When

idling for longer than 30 seconds, instruct

your drivers to turn off the engine. How-

ever, be aware that turning off the engine

may also disable safety features, such as

air bags. Drivers should be certain to uti-

lize this strategy only in situations where

there is no possibility of collision.

A growing number of fl eets are using

telematics as the most cost-eff ective tool

to curb “fuelish” behavior. One example

is Genuine Parts, which determined driv-

ers were idling company trucks two to

three hours per day. Its drivers make 12-

15 stops and deliveries per evening. Th ey

idle engines 15-20 minutes at each stop for

a combination of reasons. Drivers typical-

ly want to maintain cab climate comfort,

but many also feared frequent tailgate use

would run down the battery if the engine

wasn’t running. However, this proved to

be a false concern. A test by the compa-

ny’s lift gate installer determined lift gates

could actually be cycled 14 times before

the battery ran down.

Anti-idling programs are not only being

implemented by private fl eets, but also the

public sector. A growing number of munic-

ipal fl eets are looking to curb idling to re-

duce fuel costs and cut tailpipe emissions.

For instance, 31 states currently have some

sort of existing regulations pertaining to

anti-idling. Of these states, California has

the most codes and regulations. Th e Cal-

ifornia Air Resources Board has enacted

numerous regulations that regulate vehi-

cle idling in the state. However, excessive

idling is defi ned and regulated diff erently

around the country. For example, in Vir-

ginia, the excessive idling threshold is 10

minutes, while in some Western states, such

as Hawaii, no idling is permitted when a

vehicle is stationary in a loading zone, ser-

vice area, or parked.

In the fi nal analysis, a vehicle gets 0

miles per gallon when idling and needless-

ly releases emissions into the atmosphere.

Let me know what you think.

[email protected]

Reduced Idling = Reduced Emissions

GREEN TALK

MIKE ANTICH

GFLEET0312edit.indd 36GFLEET0312edit.indd 36 2/15/12 10:05 AM2/15/12 10:05 AM

Page 39: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

800.59.ROUSH ROUSHcleantech.com

FUEL COSTS: 40% LESS

VEHICLE WARRANTY: 5 YEAR / 60,000 MILE1

CO2 EMISSIONS: 24% LESS

PERFORMANCE: IDENTICAL

PROPANE AUTOGAS VS. GASOLINE

THE ZERO COMPROMISE ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOLUTION

CLEAN UP YOUR FLEET, ONE GALLON AT A TIMEReducing your fleet’s greenhouse gas emissions by 24% is not only within reach, it’s only half the story. With propane autogas, you can also reduce your fuel costs by up to 40% with this American-made fuel. ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas fuel systems are available for Ford light- and medium-duty trucks and vans with GVWR ratings up to 19,500 lbs. Let us show you how easy it can be to switch to propane autogas.

OTHER APPLICATIONS

1 See ROUSHcleantech.com for complete warranty details

2009 – Newer Ford E-150 / E-250 / E-350 (5.4L V8)

2009 - 2010Ford F-250 / F-350(5.4L V8)

2012 - NewerFord F-650 Chassis Cab(6.8L V10)

2012 - NewerFord F-250 / F-350 (6.2L V8)

Now Available Coming Soon

2007 - 2011Ford E-350 DRW Cutaway(5.4L V8)

2009 - NewerFord E-450 DRW Cutaway(6.8L V10)

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Page 40: Green Fleet Magazine March/April 2012

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