I want to take a few minutes and tell you about how the Pickens Plan is starting to have a real impact.
This morning, Randall Stephenson, Chairman and CEO of AT&T made an important announcement – a very important announcement.
AT&T is going to replace 17 percent of its fleet – which is one of the largest in America – with vehicles running on natural gas and other renewable fuels. They are going to purchase 8,000 truck chassis built an U.S. automaker and then they’ll work with domestic suppliers to convert those chassis to run on natural gas.
AT&T will also be working with natural gas suppliers to build the fueling facilities they will need for these vehicles.
Here’s what you need to know: A big portion of AT&T’s fleet is going to domestic natural gas and is using vehicles built in America to do it.
AT&T is also going to replace some 7,100 cars which are running on gasoline with cars using battery and other alternative sources. When this is done, AT&T will have one of the largest alternative fueled fleets in history.
When a company the size and reputation of AT&T takes a leadership role like this, you know that other companies – large and small – are going to sit up straight and take a good hard look. AT&T isn’t in the business of losing money, so this kind of investment in a domestic transportation fuel has to have a positive impact on their bottom line. It is also better for the environment and better for America because every gallon-equivalent of natural gas AT&T vehicles burn is a gallon of diesel or gasoline we don’t have to import from the Middle East, Africa or Venezuela.
I believe this is going to be a big momentum play. When other fleet operators put their transportation teams on this, you’re going to see a major shift away from imported diesel and onto domestic natural gas.
— Boone