Benjamin Moore has begun using three new Ryder tractor-trailer trucks that run on compressed natural gas (CNG) in an effort to make transportation more environmentally friendly. The trucks emit 25 percent fewer greenhouse gases than other vehicles and have been made available through Ryder’s natural gas vehicle project agreement with the San Bernardino Associated Governments in Southern California.
The $38.7 million joint project is part of a public/private partnership between the transportation solutions company, the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission and the Southern California Association of Governments Clean Cities Coalition.
“Benjamin Moore’s commitment to sustainability pervades every department in the company, and this opportunity to ensure cleaner air reinforces our Green Promise in a way most people don’t think about—shipping our eco-responsible paint products in one of the most eco-responsible ways possible,” said Mike Woods, director of logistics for Benjamin Moore.
“It was a chance to get in on the ground floor of a transportation and environmental innovation that’s only going to grow here in California and then across the U.S.,” said Ron Widner, Benjamin Moore’s regional logistics manager. He explained that many major metro areas now have passenger buses and sanitation trucks that run on natural gas, and while the energy source is new to trucking, it’s been proven very safe and reliable. Currently, California has about 70 fueling stations for CNG tractors; there are another 30 stations located throughout North America and that number is slated to grow steadily as the required equipment becomes available.
