Ryder System, Inc. has achieved a significant milestone with its fleet of 250 natural gas vehicles surpassing six million miles. The fleet consists of 35 liquefied natural gas and 215 compressed natural gas tractors, currently running in 32 customer operations in California, Arizona and Michigan. Since deploying its natural gas truck program in 2011, the vehicles have replaced approximately 923,000 gallons of diesel fuel with domestically produced natural gas and reduced emissions by more than 2,300 MTCO2e (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions).
"Ryder is uniquely positioned to help the alternative fuel vehicle industry reach critical mass," said Greg Swienton, Chairman and CEO of Ryder. "Our commercial rental and leasing model enables businesses to take advantage of these new technologies with less downtime and other risks associated with ownership. We will continue to help businesses jump-start their alternative fuel programs with innovative solutions that drive both environmental and cost-saving benefits."
"We are also leveraging the scale of our natural gas vehicle program to improve our understanding of the technology and to provide input about our experiences to manufacturers and other stakeholders," continued Mr. Swienton. "As a leader in alternative fuel solutions for the commercial transportation industry, we are committed to sharing these insights so the market can continue to make investments that ultimately bring down cost and improve performance of new technologies like natural gas vehicles."
Customers can tap into Ryder's extensive North American infrastructure, along with its trained technicians, and experience to ensure the safe operation, maintenance, and fueling of natural gas vehicles. Ryder's alternative fuels sales team can also help advise businesses determine which vehicle configurations work best for their specific applications.
In addition to making natural gas vehicles available for rent or lease, Ryder's "Flex-to-Green Lease" solution is designed to ease the transition to a greener fleet. Businesses that opt for Ryder's Flex-to-Green Lease start out with a diesel-powered vehicle today and then have the option to convert to a natural gas vehicle after one year. Flex-to-Green customers enjoy all the maintenance and service benefits of a standard Ryder Full Service Lease.
Ryder became the first outsourced fleet provider to offer heavy duty natural gas vehicles for the leasing and rental industry through a groundbreaking natural gas vehicle project with the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) in Southern California. Ryder's partnership with SANBAG and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Clean Cities Coalition includes the deployment of 202 heavy duty natural gas-powered vehicles, made available to customers for rent or lease or through Ryder's dedicated logistics services. As part of the project, Ryder is building two natural gas fueling stations and has equipped three maintenance facilities for the indoor servicing of natural gas vehicles in Fontana, Orange and Rancho Dominguez, Calif. The $38.7 million project is being funded as part of a joint public/private industry partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, and Ryder.
Ryder's natural gas fleet includes both compressed and liquefied natural gas vehicles that are currently deployed in customer operations in California, Arizona and Michigan. For additional information about Ryder's natural gas vehicle program, visit www.ryder.com/alternativefuels. To learn how Ryder makes commerce flow more efficiently and sustainably for everyone, download the Company's latest Corporate Sustainability Report at http://www.ryder.com/aboutus_home.shtml.
