U.S. Gain, a company that specializes in the development, procurement and distribution of alternative fuel for the transportation market, has completed the construction of a private natural gas fueling station for Testa Produce Inc. The new modular station will supply fuel for the company’s fleet of delivery vehicles at its headquarters in Chicago.
Testa operates a fleet of 50 delivery vehicles that are used to transport fresh produce to restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools, country clubs and other business segments throughout Illinois and regions of Indiana and Wisconsin. Today, 40 of their vehicles run on natural gas, with plans to convert the remainder of their fleet in the future.
“We’re a very environmentally-conscious organization,” says Peter Testa, produce president at Testa.
“Our motto, ‘Green in Nature, Greener by Choice,’ is something that we live by and seek to continually improve upon on in all aspects of our business. This new partnership builds on our efforts, and we’re pleased to not only partner with a firm that shares the same philosophy, but also for the benefits this relationship creates,” he adds.
The use of natural gas as an alternative fuel significantly reduces transportation-related emissions for Testa Produce, improving air quality for communities they serve. In addition to environmental benefits, the new private station provides economic savings as well. Instead of refueling offsite at a nearby public natural gas station, delivery trucks are now able to be parked onsite and simultaneously fuel overnight, saving both driver time and cost. Retroactive tax incentives courtesy of the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit program further strengthens the economic rationale for natural gas.
Testa Produce has the first LEED Platinum Certified Refrigerated Food Distribution Facility in the U.S. and achieved this certification by including many renewable energy sources in its production. That includes utilizing solar and wind energy.
