Commercial

For commercial fleets that switch to natural gas vehicles, going green means saving money.
National fleets such as AT&T, Verizon, Federal Express and UPS, are all using natural gas powered vehicles. These fleets recognize the contributions that natural gas vehicles can make in improving the air quality in the communities where they travel, but these fleets are also savings on fuel costs with natural gas.

• AT&T is on target to purchase 8,000 CNG vehicles over a five-year plan, making it the largest commercial CNG fleet in the country. By the summer of 2011, the company had 2,400 CNG vehicles on the road. These vans are used by technicians serving both residential and commercial customers. The company reached a major milestone in 2010 -- its alternative fuel fleet displaced more than 1 million gallons of petroleum in 2010. The size of fleet means that AT&T can serve as a catalyst to expand the infrastructure for natural gas vehicles, potentially providing a tipping point in many communities for other fleets to switch to natural gas. “To continue making progress, we are working with our suppliers and local municipalities to encourage the expansion of support infrastructure, which would allow the introduction of more fuel efficient vehicles in communities around the U.S.” -Jerome Webber, vice president of AT&T fleet operations. • Verizon purchased 501 CNG powered commercial vans in 2010 as a part of its company-wide sustainability effort. Cargo vans are the single largest group of vehicles in the fleet. The company started deploying the vehicles in California, which has the most robust infrastructure, and will be using them across the country in locations with existing fueling infrastructure. “We are very aware of the size of our fleet and the positive impact we can make in the communities we serve.” - Brian Helderbrandt, Verizon fleet strategy fleet program manager. • UPS, a leader in the use of alternative fuels, has more than 1,100 natural gas powered vehicles in service in the United States, and the company announced that it would grow its fleet with the addition of 48 additional vehicles running on liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The company’s decision confirmed that natural gas powered vehicles are a proven, reliable technology for commercial fleets. “As a fuel, LNG is very dense, providing a large amount of energy for the amount of space it occupies. This makes LNG an excellent potential fuel for large trucks that need to travel a long distance before refueling.” -Michael Britt, director of maintenance and engineering, UPS

Vehicle availability

Fleet managers will find a wide variety of vehicles available from manufacturers:

Original equipment manufacturers

In the light and medium duty category, the Honda Civic GX,(2012: Honda Civic Natural Gas), the Chevy Express and the GMC Savana vans are all available directly from the manufacturer. In the heavy –duty category, manufacturers such as Kenworth, Peterbilt, Freightliner over natural gas powered vehicles.

Conversions of new vehicles

There are more than 30 small volume manufacturers that are producing more than 100 models of light and medium to heavy duty vehicles designed for the fleet market. These include conversions of natural gas powered pick-up trucks, commercial vans, walk-in vans, cab-over and conventional trucks. Because of the popularity of these vehicles, Ford Motor Co. provides natural gas-prepped engines for its Transit Connect for small business, including taxis, and its E-series of commercial vans, and these vehicles can then be purchased through the small volume manufacturers. Small volume manufacturers offer a broad range of commercial vehicles. Click here for a complete list.

Repowers of existing fleets

Houston-based Silver Eagle distributors, the largest Anheuser-Busch distributor in the world, in 2006 began converting its fleet of medium and heavy-duty delivery trucks by repowering two 1999 International-Navistar delivery trucks with a natural gas powered Phoenix NG7.6 engines. The data collected during an 18-month evaluation period showed that the CNG trucks had better performance than the company’s diesel powered units -- increased torque, horsepower, and acceleration, better fuel economy, lower noise levels. Most importantly, drivers liked driving the vehicles.

Engine performance

Today’s natural gas engines match the performance and reliability of their gasoline and diesel performance.

Fuel savings

Because natural gas is a domestically produced fuel, fuel prices for natural gas used as a transportation fuel have remained much more stable than gasoline and diesel. Because of the volatility in gasoline and diesel prices, the differential between natural gas and gasoline and diesel fuel continues to grow. The substantial savings on fuel help to offset the higher cost of natural gas powered vehicles.

Fueling options

The fueling infrastructure in the United States continues to grow, with a major focus on developing regional corridors to meet the needs of commercial fleets. In the past, many fleets considered having their own fueling location, but many commercial fleets are now working with fuel providers across the country to meet the fueling requirements of their fleets. Companies such as AT&T, UPS and Verizon have spurred the market for fueling locations. Click here for a complete discussion of fueling options.