Green Motoring
MotorWeek was one of the first mainstream media outlets to provide regular coverage of advances in green motoring technologies and the use of alternative fuels. With uncertain fuel prices, MotorWeek continues to give viewers a front row seat as automakers seek to strike a balance between giving car buyers the performance they desire and the fuel economy they demand. It’s said, “They don’t build them like they used to,” and that’s never been more true than right now!
Clean Cities Success: Foodliner’s CNG Trucks
Our Success Story this week focuses on Mid-west based Foodliner, one of America’s largest bulk food haulers. In 2010, Foodliner’s fleet added 6 new Compressed Natural Gas tractors for use in daily deliveries. So far they’ve driven some 400,000 miles. Refueling along their routes is made easy thanks to a public access CNG fueling station in Des Plaines,… Read More
Clean Cities Success Stories: CNG School Buses
Our Success Story takes us to Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Their school district has been a leader in alternative fuels since 1995, as the state’s first school district to start operating compressed natural gas school buses. Today nearly half of their 114 buses run on CNG, making it one of the largest such fleets on the East… Read More
Clean Cities Success: San Diego Car Sharing
Our success story of the week takes us to sunny San Diego where even car sharing is taking on an electrifying new look. Car2Go chose the southern California city to launch their first all-electric U.S. car sharing fleet - bringing in a fleet of 300 Smart ForTwo electric drives for rental. Car2Go was quick to recognize that the U.S. Department of Energy was… Read More
Clean Cities: Seattle Baking Company Episode 3339
Our Success Story this week takes us to Seattle, Washington and the Essential Baking Company. The organic bakery began using almost pure B99 biodiesel in delivery trucks in 2005. Currently their 18 biodiesel trucks, serve 21 routes-7 days a week throughout the state. Drivers used to refuel offsite. Now, a local bio-diesel co-op provides solar powered mobile… Read More
Clean Cities: Virginia Sheriff’s Office Episode 3343
Our Success Story this week puts the spotlight on Spotsylvania County, Virginia. In 2011, the county partnered with Virginia Clean Cities and the state and federal government to convert Ford Crown Victoria sheriff’s department cruisers to propane. Partnerships and local leadership helped Spotsylvania convert 31 cruisers, along with four school district… Read More
Clean Cities: Mammoth Cave Nat’l Park
Our Success story this week comes from Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park. In 1999, the park committed to use E85 ethanol in a number of their flex-fuel vehicles, and installed their own refueling station. Today, more than a decade later, all of the park’s 41 vehicles run on alternative fuels, including biodiesel, propane, and electricity. The park has… Read More
Clean Cities: Star Transportation
Our Success Story this week takes us to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where a family-owned and operated livery company is making a name for itself in the alt-fuel world. Star Transportation Group’s five brands use a diverse array of vehicles-from Ford Fusion Hybrids to propane-powered taxicab sedans to these AirStar Access paratransit vans. In 2010, their… Read More
Clean Cities: Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado is leading the way in alternative fuel use and public transit efficiency. Thirty-percent of the city’s nearly two-thousand vehicle fleet is powered by alternative fuels including compressed natural gas, propane, B-20, E-85, along with hybrid, and electric vehicles.All 37 public transit buses are either powered by compressed natural gas… Read More
Clean Cities: Maine Shuttle
Our Success Story this week takes us from the summit to the sea--in the idyllic town of Bar Harbor, Maine--for a ride aboard the Island Explorer fleet of propane powered shuttle buses. Downeast Transportation acquired their first propane buses in 1999 as part of a federal grant designed to ease traffic congestion and improve air quality. Their current fleet… Read More
Clean Cities Success: Frito-Lay Fleets
Our success story this week takes us to Columbus, Ohio—one of three cities serviced by an electric truck fleet owned by snack food giant Frito-Lay. As one of the Department of Energy's National Clean Fleet Partners, Frito-Lay has launched a fleet of Smith Newton electric trucks, the world's largest electric-powered truck with two lithium-ion battery packs, a… Read More