READING, Pa., April 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Penske Truck
Leasing and Penske Logistics were among the companies that
celebrated Earth Day 2015 and
sustainability advancements being made in the transportation
sector. The setting in Pottsville,
Pennsylvania, was the grand opening of a Trillium CNG
fueling station, with Wegmans Food Markets; NFI, a supply chain
solutions provider; and Gladstein, Neandross and Associates (GNA),
clean transportation and energy consultants.
Trillium unveiled a Class-8 public accessible compressed natural
gas (CNG) fueling station in the Highridge Business Park. A total
of 23 Penske Truck Leasing leased CNG alternative fuel heavy-duty
trucks will be fueled by Penske Logistics, NFI and Wegmans at this
location.
The replacement of 23 diesel-powered tractors with CNG-powered
tractors will result in a 1.25 million pound annual reduction in
CO2 emissions. This significant reduction in emissions is
equivalent to the annual emissions of over 150 homes.
The station is on 1.6 acres and will be open continuously. It
accepts all major credit cards and fleet cards. The separate dual
hose dispenser will allow two trucks to fuel simultaneously and
features Trillium CNG's proprietary fast-fill hydraulic intensifier
compressor.
To accommodate natural gas truck demand, Penske Truck Leasing
modified its nearby 10,400-square-foot Highridge Business Park
facility (1304 Keystone Blvd.) that opened in November 2013 so that each of its four truck
maintenance bays can service natural gas vehicles.
Public funding was secured for this project.
Here are the GNA-secured 2014 Commonwealth grants being utilized
in Schuylkill County:
- Penske Truck Leasing: $499,997 in
ACT 13 funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection (Natural Gas Energy Development Program), to subsidize
the purchase of 23 Freightliner Cascadia tractors equipped with
Cummins Westport 12-liter engines. NFI is operating 15 of the
tractors, while Penske Logistics is making use of five units, and
Wegmans is running three trucks.
- Trillium CNG: $824,000 via the
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
(Alternative Clean Energy Program) to subsidize the construction of
their fueling station.
"Today is an excellent example of how several organizations can
work together and create a success story for the transportation
industry to transition to alternative fuels," stated Drew Cullen, Penske Senior Vice President of
Fuels and Facilities Services. "We appreciate the opportunity to
take a lead role in making this day a reality."
"Trillium CNG is excited to be partnering with NFI, Penske and
Wegmans Foods to make CNG available in the area," said Mary Boettcher, Trillium CNG President. "We're
confident other fleet operators in the tri-state region will take
advantage of the environmental and economic benefits that natural
gas provides."
"With the new natural gas fueling station, NFI will be able to
further its mission to improve its environmental impact," said
Bill Bliem, Senior Vice President
Fleet Services at NFI, an EPA SmartWay Transport Partner. "This
also allows us to share these benefits with our customers that also
prioritize expanding their sustainability efforts."
"We are proud to be part of this event and to be working with
partners who share our commitment to sustainability," says
David DeMascole, Wegmans' Director
of Network Planning. "If our high expectations for environmental
and financial performance are met, these will be the first of many
tractors using CNG at Wegmans."
Trillium CNG is a leading provider of CNG to fleets and also
offers facility design, construction, operations and maintenance
services. Our focus is on fueling heavy-duty fleets that require
high-performance solutions. Trillium CNG is a business unit of
Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE: TEG). Follow us on social media:
LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Trillium CNG Blog.
NFI is a fully integrated supply chain solutions provider
headquartered in Cherry Hill, New
Jersey. Privately held by the Brown family since its
inception in 1932, NFI generates more than $1.1 billion in annual revenue and employs more
than 8,000 associates. NFI owns facilities globally and operates 22
million square feet of warehouse and distribution space. Its
company-owned fleet consists of over 2,000 tractors and 8,200
trailers, operated by more than 2,600 company drivers and 250 Owner
Operators. Its business lines include dedicated transportation,
warehousing, intermodal, brokerage, transportation management,
global, real estate, trailer storage and solar services. For more
information about NFI, visit www.nfiindustries.com or call
1-877-NFI-3777.
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is an 85-store supermarket chain with
stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Virginia,
Maryland and Massachusetts. The family-owned company,
founded in 1916, is recognized as an industry leader and innovator.
Wegmans has been named one of the '100 Best Companies to Work For'
by FORTUNE magazine for 18 consecutive years, ranking #7 in 2015.
The company also ranked #1 for Corporate Reputation, among the 100
'most-visible companies' nationwide in the 2014 Harris Poll
Reputation Quotient ® study.
Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA) is a leading North
American consulting firm specializing in market development for
low-emission and alternative fuel vehicle technologies,
infrastructure, and fuels for both on and off-road applications.
For more than 20 years, GNA has pioneered the nation's largest and
most innovative alternative fuel vehicle projects, including the
development of several successful clean fuel corridor projects. The
firm has secured more than $255
million in funding on behalf of its clients and projects,
with a success rate above 90 percent for the nearly 300
applications they have written. In addition to its technical
consulting practice, GNA hosts two of North America's leading alternative fuel and
advanced vehicle technology conferences—the Alternative Clean
Transportation (ACT) Expo and the High Horsepower (HHP) Summit. For
more information, visit www.gladstein.org.
Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P., headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, is a partnership of
Penske Corporation, Penske Automotive Group, General Electric
Capital Corporation and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. A leading global
transportation services provider, Penske operates more than 216,000
vehicles and serves customers from more than 1,000 locations in
North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Product lines include full-service truck
leasing, contract maintenance, commercial and consumer truck
rentals, used truck sales, transportation and warehousing
management and supply chain management solutions. Visit
http://www.GoPenske.com to learn more. Penske Truck Leasing social
media: Move Ahead Blog, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+,
YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.
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SOURCE Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P.