JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is the first government agency in the nation to test a new energy saving, environmentally friendly, diesel-electric bucket truck, Kansas City infoZine News reports. MoDOT expects the Utility Hybrid Truck Pilot Program to demonstrate the vehicle’s ability to cut fuel costs and smog-producing emissions in half, while also reducing maintenance costs, reducing noise, and providing an alternative power source in emergencies.

While conventional trucks must remain running at a work site to operate the hydraulic arm that moves the bucket, new technology enables the hybrid truck’s engine to be shut off, significantly reducing emissions and using nearly 50 percent less fuel, according to Kansas City infoZine News. The hybrid system uses an electric-only mode to raise the bucket for up to two hours and can also serve as a generator, producing up to 25 kilowatts of standby power.

Based on earlier tests and the current cost of diesel in Missouri, MoDOT could potentially save approximately $3,134 a year per vehicle by replacing the state’s 106 bucket trucks with hybrids. The hybrid trucks will be field tested alongside conventional trucks to compare performance and reliability.