YRC Freight has reached agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. for the deployment and testing of four liquefied natural gas (LNG) tractors. The vehicles will serve the Port of Long Beach and surrounding areas, YRC said.
The pilot project will leverage existing Clean Energy fueling infrastructure in Southern California. The LNG trucks will be operated by long-tenured YRC Freight drivers and results of the pilot will be analyzed by the company’s maintenance, fuel and operations teams, the carrier added.
“We are eager to test natural gas trucks in the Southern California area and see how they perform within our network,” said Jeff Rogers, president of YRC Freight. “The LNG project will build on our sustainability initiatives, including our ongoing network optimization that is engineered to provide the highest quality customer service in the most efficient manner possible. My thanks to the Clean Energy team for bringing their industry expertise to the table and helping to make this happen.”
YRC Freight has also been conducting a pilot project with diesel electric hybrids in the Northeast. The company takes many actions such as speed limit restrictions, idling limits and the use of biodiesel to reduce emissions, it said.
“We are very excited to partner with a leader like YRC Freight on their LNG truck pilot project,” said James N. Harger, chief marketing officer at Clean Energy. “Through the benefits to their bottom line and to the cleaner air for future generations, we’re confident that YRC Freight will become the latest enthusiast for natural gas as the fuel of choice.”
