reposting…

UPS is expanding its U.S. Green Fleet from 50 hybrid electric trucks to 250 (the largest commercial order of such trucks by any company), and increasing its fleet of vehicles running on compressed natural gas from 800 to 1,100.

The purchase means the largest private alternative fuel fleet in the U.S. will grow 30 percent more to 2,218 low-carbon vehicles when they hit the roads in 2009.

UPS expects the hybrid fleet to save the company 176,000 gallons of fuel annually and reduce CO2 emissions by 1,786 metric tons each year — the equivalent of removing almost 100 conventional UPS trucks from the road for a year. The CNG vehicles are expected to yield a 20 percent reduction in emissions over the cleanest diesel engines available today.

In March, UPS added 167 CNG delivery vehicles to its fleets in Texas, Georgia and California.

In other alternative fuel vehicle news, National Grid announced the addition of more than 60 CNG vehicles to its fleet – part of the company’s effort to slash emissions 80 percent by 2050.

With record setting gas and diesel prices, fuel-efficiency in package delivery has taken on an even higher level of importance for UPS, FedEx, and other truck-dependent businesses.

Coke announced in November that it would add 120 side-load hybrid-electric trucks to its U.S. fleet this year.

May 13, 2008 © 2006-2008 Environmental Leader