Penske Truck Leasing and City Harvest announced the launch of an environmentally friendly refrigerated truck fleet. City Harvest, a food rescue organization dedicated to feeding New York City’s hungry, is the first Penske customer to commit to operate a fleet of hybrid trucks.
The organization will be supplied with full-service truck leasing support from Penske for the hybrids. By the close of 2009, it plans to have converted its entire fleet of 16 trucks to full hybrid technology. City Harvest is now operating four International Truck and Engine Corporation 18-foot DuraStar Hybrid trucks to deliver food in New York.
"City Harvest is on the leading edge with its commitment to bring a green fleet to New York," said Joe Cataudella, area vice president–Penske Truck Leasing, for the New York metropolitan area. "By using hybrids, they can double their fuel efficiency and reduce emissions by 40 percent."
The City Harvest truck fleet is used to rescue excess food from all segments of the food industry, delivering it free of charge to more than 600 community food programs throughout the five boroughs. This year, the organization will rescue 23 million pounds of food that would otherwise go to waste, feeding more than 260,000 hungry people each week.
Related article: Hybrids serve New York City’s hungry.
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