Blu., a developer and operator of liquefied natural gas (LNG) refueling stations, is partnering with Ryder System Inc. to lease 55 heavy-duty tractors that run on LNG.
According to the companies, Blu. will deploy 30 LNG tractors in Salt Lake City and 25 in Atlanta. The first few trucks have already been delivered to Salt Lake City, and Blu.'s Atlanta-based operation will begin receiving trucks in January 2014. Blu. will be using these natural gas vehicles primarily as marketing tools, sharing the trucks with companies that are contemplating a shift to LNG-powered transportation and allowing them to test the NGVs in real-world fleet operations.
‘Collaborating with a fuel station operator like Blu. is one more way we are helping customers overcome entry barriers, test the technology, understand the economics and experience the cost-saving and environmental benefits of running a natural gas fleet,’ says Ryder's Dennis Cooke.
Blu. has signed a full-service lease agreement, which means Ryder will acquire vehicles according to Blu.'s specifications and provide financing, maintenance and fleet support services. Ryder is also upgrading existing maintenance facilities in Salt Lake City and metro Atlanta in order to service natural gas vehicles.
Blu. currently has 12 fully operational LNG stations, and the company expects to have more than 40 stations in total by the end of this year.
