Ryder System Inc (NYSE: R) has completed an agreement to lease 25 compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles to grocery retailer Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market.
These CNG vehicles are the first of their kind in the Fresh & Easy fleet and have been made available through Ryder’s agreement with the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) in Southern California. The $38.7 million Ryder/SANBAG project is part of a public/private partnership between the US Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, the Southern California Association of Governments Clean Cities Coalition, and Ryder. The project includes 202 heavy-duty natural gas vehicles, upgrades to three maintenance facilities for proper servicing of natural gas vehicles, and construction of two fueling stations.
Fresh & Easy is a Ryder Dedicated Contract Carriage (DCC) customer, benefiting from a customized suite of transportation services that optimize fleet operations including drivers, equipment, management, and ongoing engineering support. The grocery retailer operates 176 grocery stores in California, Arizona, and Nevada and relies on a total fleet of 71 vehicles managed by Ryder to support store deliveries from its Riverside CA distribution center. The first 15 CNG vehicles were delivered to Fresh & Easy in July, and the balance will be delivered in October.
Natural gas vehicles produce 20% to 30% less emissions than comparable diesel vehicles. In addition, natural gas costs as much as 42% less per equivalent gallon of diesel based on current diesel fuel prices.
On average, Fresh & Easy stores use 30% less energy than a typical supermarket. The company installed a 500,000-square-foot roof-mounted solar panel on its Riverside distribution center—one of the largest solar installations in North America. Fresh & Easy uses LED lighting in external signs and freezer cases, offers recycling in every store, and uses advanced refrigeration and freezer units to cut energy use. The company is a member of the California Climate Action Registry, a voluntary registry for greenhouse gas emissions; and The Climate Registry, a group that standardized the measurement for greenhouse gas emissions across North America.
For more information, visit www.freshandeasy.com.
