Vogel Disposal Service recently joined the ranks of companies converting their fleets to compressed natural gas-fueled vehicles.
The company began the transition with the purchase of 10 so-called CNG garbage trucks and installing a fueling station at its headquarters on Route 228 in Mars.
“We are doing it because we're anticipating the cost of diesel fuel is going to continue to rise, so we're going to do what we can to curb some of that cost,” said Doug Vogel, company vice president.
The company anticipates replacing its diesel trucks with compressed natural gas-fueled vehicles at a rate of 10 per year.
“We've been looking at doing it for a while,” said company vice president Ed Vogel. “At the station we put in we could add and fuel a total of 50 trucks.”
Vogel Disposal provides trash collection service in six counties, including about 15 Alle-Kiski Valley communities in southern Butler, southwest Armstrong and northeastern Allegheny counties.
Their current CNG trucks are running in the Mars area.
Vogel received a $640,000 grant from Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities, a nonprofit that promotes the use of alternative fuels.
The organization awarded the money via the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant Program.
“Natural gas seems to be the choice of the heavy duty (trucks),” said Richard Price, executive director of Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities. “Your return on investment is faster.”
Vogel Disposal hasn't yet evaluated its savings, company officials said.
A number of large companies have begun making the switch to compressed natural gas, which is currently selling for $2 per gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) — compared to about $3.65 for a gallon of regular, unleaded gas.
Waste Management, UPS, FedEX and Ryder System truck rental have all announced they are converting some of their fleets to natural gas. Giant Eagle added more than 20 natural gas-fueled vehicles and Range Resources unveiled a CNG-fueled fleet last week at its Cecil, Washington County, office.
“When you see big companies doing it, they're doing it because they're saving money. Right now, CNG is the best economic benefit,” Price said. “If (natural gas) doubled in price today, at the pump it goes up about 30 cents a gallon. With gasoline, if something happens in the Far East, it can go up 30 cents, and we're happy when it goes down 5 cents.”
The state Legislature is encouraging the use of alternative fuels. The state has committed $3.6 million a year from the impact fee on natural gas drillers to promote the alternative fuel.
Additionally, five bills passed through the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee that would create grant programs for the conversion of small and large mass transit bus fleets, as well as the construction of natural gas fueling stations.
“The key point is, it cuts down on our dependence on foreign oil,” said state Rep. Ron Miller, R-York, who sponsored the bills. “What we're being told right now, with all the new exploration, it's something that's here now and we need to continue to develop this natural resource.”
The legislation must pass the House and Senate.
Jodi Weigand is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-226-4702 or jweigand@tribweb.com.
