Verizon Wireless is taking substantial steps toward
improving fuel efficiency in its delivery and maintenance fleets. The
telecommunications giant recently purchased 576 Chevy Silverado Hybrids to be
gradually integrated into its American fleet. These hybrid trucks offer a 40%
fuel improvement over existing fleet vehicles thanks to a two-mode hybrid
system. With a fuel mileage rating of 21 miles per gallon, the Chevy Silverado
Hybrid is not sufficient to meet Verizon’s expectation for a greener fleet. Verizon
is hoping that a retrofitting process involving Ford E-250 cargo vans will
raise its sustainability profile.
The company announced last week that it purchased 501 Ford
E-250s from Ukiah Ford in Ukiah, California. These cargo vans will be
reconfigured to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) available through regional
distributors. Verizon intends to work with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to outfit
these vehicles with CNG engines and fuel systems. This California-based
supplier of natural gas will also install fueling stations at Verizon
distributors in major American markets. With more than 500 CNG vans available
by 2011, Verizon looks ready to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels
significantly.
Verizon is limiting its use of CNG vans and trucks to
high-impact markets where installations are frequent. These markets have not
been identified though it is clear that New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago
will be on the top of this list. Company representatives note that the largest
portion of its fleet deals with home and business installations for Internet as
well as phone service. As CNG vans integrate into daily routes that accommodate
millions of customers, it is easy to imagine substantial reductions in
emissions and fuel consumption. With CNG refueling stations at regional
centers, Verizon customers should not notice any difference in response times
and drivers can stay on the road all day.
The limits of Verizon’s green fleet plans become clear when
viewing its recent truck and van acquisitions. The Chevy Silverado Hybrid
offers a substantial improvement over current delivery vehicles but that is not
a momentous accomplishment. Verizon’s investments in CNG reconfigurations of
Ford E-250s are far more eco-friendly but 501 fleet vehicles hardly make a dent
in the company’s environmental impact. As corporations like AT&T and FedEx
get greener, Verizon Wireless will need to increase CNG vans, full hybrids and
other alternative fuel vehicles in its fleet to stay on track.
