Colo. City’s Hybrid Garbage Trucks Will Halve Fuel Costs
The City of Loveland, Colo., has added six hydraulic hybrid garbage trucks to its fleet. The city expects the hybrid drive system to pay for itself in fuel and maintenance savings in 6.2 years.
The City of Loveland, Colo., has added six hydraulic hybrid garbage trucks to its fleet. The trucks, with Parker Hannifin’s RunWise systems, debuted last week and promise to save more than $15,000 per truck annually.
The city’s garbage trucks make 900 to 1,000 stops and starts on their daily routes, using fuel at a rate of about 2.5 miles per gallon and wearing out brakes often, according to the city. The hydraulic system uses a mechanism that stores braking energy, then releases it to accelerate the vehicle to the next stop with much less reliance on the engine. City tests have shown the system can save 50% of fuel costs and cut maintenance on brakes to a tenth of what the city pays for annual brake system replacement.
Ad Loading...
The $99,500 price tag for each hydraulic hybrid drive system, discounted by the manufacturer, will be paid for in fuel and maintenance savings in 6.2 years. Thereafter, money saved during the trucks’ 10-year life cycles will contribute to the Solid Waste Division’s net cash flow.
The trucks also get raves from the Loveland Public Works employees who drive them, since their performance on a long stop-and-go collection route involves smoother, less frequent, and less jarring gear changes as the hydraulic mechanism does so much of the work, according to the city.
“It’s not as jerky, and it’s much, much faster in the launch,” said Steve Kibler, Loveland's fleet manager. “It’s a huge improvement to the way we’re operating right now. More comfortable, better visibility, and much more driver-friendly.”
The fuel savings from these trucks result in a carbon-dioxide reduction of 48 tons per truck annually, equivalent to taking 15 passenger cars off the road.
All costs of the vinyl wraps showing a photo of Lake Loveland were born by Hannifin Corp., as part of the promotion of its product in a new territory.
Ad Loading...
“These impressive vehicles are the result of the creativity of our employees who are committed to delivering cost savings and efficiencies in everything we do,” Loveland Public Works Director Leah Browder said.
A new proclamation signed by President Trump imposes a 25% tariff on imported passenger vehicles and key auto parts, citing national security concerns.
The municipality will deploy two W4 CC electric work trucks for trash and recycling can switch-outs, enhancing the efficiency of its waste management services.
When vehicles become harder to acquire, fleet managers must balance keeping vehicles on the road longer while managing the escalating operating costs of older vehicles.
Government vehicle sales continue to rise into 2024 with both car and truck/SUV sales climbing between January and February of 2024, according to Bobit/Government Fleet sales data released March 2.
Government Fleet asked the Big 3 how their operations have been in the weeks since the UAW strike ended, with new contracts ratified. Plus, automakers address concerns about vehicle delivery delays.
Details on the contract, a look at upgrades and an improved up-armoring process in the next generation heavy-duty armored SUVs, and how the Department of State landed on GM Defense's product.
