UPS announces major natural gas investment

Updated May 2, 2013

UPS announced in late April plans to purchase approximately 700 liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks and to build four refueling stations by the end of 2014.

Once completed, UPS’s LNG fleet will be one of the most extensive in the U.S.

“LNG will be a viable alternative transportation fuel for UPS in the next decade as a bridge between traditional fossil fuels and emerging renewable alternative fuels and technologies that are not quite ready for broad-based long-term commercial deployment,” said Scott Davis, UPS Chairman and CEO.
Mack has long been a partner with UPS in the carrier’s LNG efforts, however UPS Public Relations Manager Kristen A. Petrella says the company is still window shopping for the tractors.

“UPS hasn’t determined who will be manufacturing the 700 new vehicles yet,” she says, adding the trucks will be powered by a Cummins Westport engine.

Even though UPS hasn’t selected its truck partner yet, Mack vice president of marketing John Walsh says Mack would like to continue to develop its relationship with UPS, and aid in its LNG efforts.

“We prefer not to get into specifics for competitive reasons,” he says. “Suffice it to say that we certainly intend to continue to support this long-time, highly valued customer, as demonstrated by the UPS LNG Mack Pinnacle model at MATS.”

UPS has been operating natural gas vehicles for more than a decade and has more than 1,000 natural gas vehicles on the road today. Since 2000, the fleet powered by alternative fuels and technologies has driven more than 295 million miles.

UPS already operates 112 LNG tractor trailers from fueling stations in Las Vegas, Nev., Phoenix, Ariz., and Beaver and Salt Lake City, Utah, and has its own LNG fueling station on its property in Ontario, Calif.

New UPS-built fueling stations in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis, Tenn., and Dallas, Texas, will serve its heavy-weight rigs traveling into adjacent states. With the addition of accessible LNG fueling stations, UPS also will add LNG trucks on routes from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio to further extend territory.