UPS to Build 15 CNG Stations, Deploy 1,400 CNG Tractors and Delivery Vehicles
UPS Inc. plans to build 15 compressed natural gas fueling stations to support its purchase and deployment of 1,400 new CNG vehicles over the next year.
Twelve stations will be in new natural-gas deployment areas, and three will replace existing CNG stations with higher-capacity equipment, the company said April 1.
The vehicles include about 800 tractors — Kenworth T680s, with 12-liter Cummins Westport engines — and 600 package cars, with CNG systems by Agility Fuel Systems and Quantum Technologies. The fueling stations, which will be private at UPS facilities, are being built by TruStar Energy.
The plan represents a nearly 30% increase to the company’s alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet of more than 5,000 vehicles worldwide.
“UPS’s investment in a large-scale alternative energy fleet has enabled the company to avoid more than 34 million gallons of conventional fuels since 2000,” said Mitch Nichols, senior vice president of transportation and engineering. “CNG is an important building block in our long-term fleet strategy and offers environmental and economic advantages.”
The CNG trucks and vehicles will be deployed in 15 cities, primarily in the Southeast. It currently has eight CNG facilities in four other states and operates CNG vehicles in Germany, the Netherlands and Thailand.
UPS ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.
