Mack Trucks says its compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks are helping the City of Pomona, Calif., watch its weight and its fuel costs.
Late last year, the city replaced its entire solid-waste fleet with 20 TerraPro low-entry side-loaders and two rear-loading vehicles, all running 320-HP Cummins Westport ISL G engines. Mack says the vehicles are slimmed down.
“A lot of trucks tend to exceed the bridge weight laws here,” says Howard Morris, the city's solid-waste manager. “Mack had solved the problem. They did a good job of spec'ing the truck with a lighter suspension.”
In addition, Morris notes that CNG is a cheaper alternative to diesel. “It's $2-plus per 1,000 cubic feet (million BTUs) of natural gas, and diesel is bouncing around $4 a gallon,” he says. “We haven't had the trucks in service for a full year, but I know we're going to save money on fuel.”
