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.
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