Another successful Clean Cities Effort!

[Curtis]

Ryder Awarded First-of-Its-Kind Natural Gas Heavy Duty Truck Project April 7, 2010 – 11:52 am | USA, California Ryder expands RydeGreen rental and lease program with Natural Gas trucks Ryder will purchase more than 200 heavy-duty natural gas powered trucks and construct new natural gas refueling stations in Southern California.

Ryder System, Inc., a global transport and supply chain management business, has been selected by San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) Board as its fleet partner in a groundbreaking heavy-duty natural gas truck rental and leasing project in Southern California. Ryder will use $19.3 million in state and federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funding secured by SANBAG to implement the project. A Ryder release says this is the first time that natural gas trucks will be deployed into a large commercial truck rental and leasing operation. Read More »

[Veltroo]

Re: Another successful Clean Cities Effort!

Hello again Curtis
Do you have any contacts with the Ryder management?
Are they thinking to use elsewhere the case history of this agreement to repeat it somewhere else?
I do think a couple of ours east coast state partners could be interested.
One thing more HAVE YOU BEEN THINKING ABOUT USING YOUR HUGE KNOWLEDGE IN THE CNG enviroment to be hired as consultant? :-)
best regards
Luc

[Curtis]

Re: Another successful Clean Cities Effort!

I don't have a direct contact at Ryder, however I could produce one with a few well placed phone calls. My associates at SANBAG (San Bernadino Assn of Gov'ts), the Clean Cities Coalition that put this agreement together would be the first line of contact for this effort.

As for the consulting issue; yes. I do frequently consult for people around the country who need specific information, as well as technical and financial assistance, in matters related to cng, as well as virtually all other alternative fuels. I tend to be known best for my cng efforts due to our little group here, but my knowledge base is much more expansive, and my national network of scientific and industry contacts in every arena of alternative fuels is truly expansive.

[Curtis]

Re: Another successful Clean Cities Effort!

Governor Signs Lieu Bill to Extend HOV Lane Access to “Green” Vehicles

AB 1500 (Lieu) allows low-emission vehicles to use carpool lanes until 2015

(SACRAMENTO) – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed Assembly Bill 1500, by Assemblymember Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance), to continue California’s commitment to encouraging the use of low-emission, alternative fuel vehicles by extending access to HOV lanes until January 2015.

“Over the past few years the state has taken the lead to reduce reliance on petroleum and transition to more alternative fuels and cleaner vehicles,” said Assemblymember Lieu. “Continuing the HOV lane incentive for buyers of alternative fuel vehicles is consistent with our past and current efforts and should be continued.”

Access to HOV lanes has been an important non-monetary incentive for fleet owners to buy alternative fuel vehicles. Because fleet owners need adequate lead time to make vehicle replacement decisions, it is important that they be assured the single occupancy HOV lane access will be continued beyond the current sunset date of 2011.

“I am very pleased that the Governor recognizes the importance of this legislation which will improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gasses by encouraging the use of electric and natural gas vehicles,” said Assemblymember Lieu.

“I applaud the Governor for approving this critical environmental bill that will promote green vehicles that operate on natural gas and other clean fuels,” said Tim Carmichael, President of the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, sponsor of the bill. “AB 1500 provides a real incentive for Californians to drive cars that enhance the state’s clean air, energy security, and global warming goals, while also fostering job creation and green tech growth here in California.”

AB 1500 is strongly supported by Clean Energy, CalStart, Energy Independence Now and Honda. It takes effect January 1, 2011.

Assemblymember Ted W. Lieu represents the 53rd Assembly District, which includes El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Marina Del Rey, and portions of the City of Los Angeles.

[Veltroo]

Re: Another successful Clean Cities Effort!

Definetly i got to meet you and show you which plans we have.
Yesterday i got contacts with Trillium for a partnership in building up the gas stations.
hope to see you soon Curtis
Luc

[Curtis]

Re: Another successful Clean Cities Effort!

Luc, I am now working with the top management at Ryder to bring public awareness to the Ryder CNG trucking program. This will be accomplished through a radio show I will most likely launch in Sept, 2011. The show will Be "Clean Cities Radio" and will cover the Ryder program from inception to maturity, along with other Clean Cities Coalitions projects arising out of the ARRA funding awards. That made this all possible.

Ryder became the "anchor" fleet in the all new DOE/Clean Cities National Stakeholder Program (NSP), along with Coke, Pepsi and others totaling 6 initial national companies. Clean Cities works with fleets across the country and recruit national fleets into the NSP.

If you have national fleets that you have inroads to at the top management levels, I can nominate them for consideration in the recently launched DOE National Stakeholders Program. I attended the National Stakeholder Summit in Indianapolis last June. There are articles posted here in this forum that go into that topic. DOE/Clean Cities is working to develop a nationwide network of cng infrastructure with names like Encana, CE and others across the country.

The wide perception is that heavy duty trucking is the primary driving focus of all the cng insiders from Boone Pickens on down, or up, depending on your perspective. The ROI on infrastructure only comes from economy of scale and that comes from heavy fleet usage. With 20 million over the road trucks, short haulers and other types of medium to heavy duty vehicles, this becomes the market driver, as well as the solution to the chicken and egg problem.

CNG in this country is poised to take off and Ryder will be a game changer. As cng advocates, we should applaud Ryder, Encana, (dare I say it) CE and others that are making the commitment to build out this country's cng infrastructure to accommodate an (as yet) under developed market. Ryder will allow companies that are replacing older, polluting equipment the option of leasing a cng, or LNG truck. Think of it as a "try it before you buy it" program.

This is groundbreaking and a game changer for the trucking industry. Never has this industry had the opportunity to make cng a part of their fleet for evaluative purposes without making an outright purchase of a piece of equipment with incremental costs tens of thousands of dollars more than a diesel version. Gov't subsidies and grants made available through the ARRA Dreage project at the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Pedro (to name 3) are not sustainable given the economic climate in this country.

I dare say that future expansion of the heavy duty market would stall without an ongoing influx of gov't funds, which is looking highly un-probable from where I stand. Ryder leases far more vehicles, from heavy duty to much lighter offerings, than you might suspect. Tune into my radio show to find out how this will play out for us, the cng public, and what time frames we may be looking at. Who knows, we may yet... in our lifetime be able to drive from LA to Phoenix. It almost brings a tear to my eye to dare dream it.