In a move that is expected to save Tampa taxpayers more than $150,000, Mayor Bob Buckhorn added five compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to the city’s municipal trash-hauling fleet. The new CNG-powered vehicles were rolled into service at Tampa International Airport last Tuesday.
“Replacing our older, diesel-powered garbage trucks with CNG trucks is good business. They will save taxpayer’s money and are environmentally-friendly and more efficient,” said Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “This is just the beginning for our fleet of CNG vehicles.”
CNG vehicles emit about 40 percent less greenhouse gases than their diesel-powered counterparts. In addition to being more environmentally friendly, they also cost less to maintain and enjoy better engine life. Tampa’s new CNG vehicles will save $1.85 – $2.00 per gallon in fuel costs or approximately $152,000 annually.
The five new CNG-powered garbage trucks are just a first step for Tampa, which will add five more CNG-powered trucks to replace other aging diesel trucks in its fleet by 2014.
Read more HERE.