Dive Brief:
- Republic Services has purchased 62 more compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to service its Broward and Dade, FL routes. With this transaction, Republic now owns a total of 127 of these vehicles in South Florida alone, resulting in carbon emission reductions comparable to planting 76,200 trees ever year.
- Republic operates about 2,500 CNG trucks total, which collectively save 18 million gallons of diesel annually. The company also has 38 CNG fueling stations
- Through its Blue Planet sustainability initiative, Republic has pledged to reduce emissions tied to its operations, and has also committed to materials management, safety, community engagement, and employee growth opportunities.
Dive Insight:
Innovation, efficiency, and a commitment to sustainability often all go hand in hand when customers want quality, savings, and assurance that service providers are taking steps to minimize environmental harm. Investing in CNG fleets was one way to prove Republic shares in its customer’s values, despite putting thousands of vehicles on the road as the country's eighth largest vocational fleet.
CNG vehicles tend to run quieter and cleaner than traditional trucks. They save gas and save money, which ideally means the company can pass some of those savings to their customers.
"We believe that we have a responsibility to reduce carbon emissions whenever and wherever possible," said Jamey Amick, area president of Republic Services, as reported in Recycling Today. "As the operator of a large vocational fleet in South Florida, we recognize that we can have a positive, meaningful impact on the local environment. We are truly proud to serve this community and believe that our CNG fleet expansion this Earth Day will have lasting benefits for South Florida."
In 2015, one-third of all of Republic's replacement trucks ran on this fuel.
