Greening Garbage Trucks New Technologies for Cleaner and Healthier Cities Teleconference: US Conference of Mayors, Mar

1. Greening Garbage Trucks New Technologies for Cleaner and Healthier CitiesTeleconference: US Conference of Mayors, March 23, 2005 Joanna D. Underwood President, INFORM

2. Background INFORM is an independent research organization founded in 1974 • It identifies environmentally sustainable ways of doing business • It offers thoroughly investigated, innovative, and effective options for change • It collaborates to promote environmental progress • Noteworthy INFORM Transportation publications include: • Drive for Clean Air (1990) • Paving the Way to Natural Gas Vehicles (1992) • Harnessing Hydrogen (1995) • Bus Futures (2000) • Greening Garbage Trucks (2002) • The Transportation Boom in Asia (2005)

3. Features of the Garbage Truck Market Garbage trucks are among the oldest, least fuel efficient, and most polluting U.S. fleet • Approximately 179,000 vehicles: 136,000 collection trucks, 12,000 transfer trucks, and 31,000 recycling trucks • There are twice as many garbage trucks in the US as there are urban transit vehicles. • 40% of garbage trucks are more than 10 years old. • A garbage truck logs an average of 25,000 miles a year, the fleet travels 3.4 billion miles a year. • Garbage trucks get the lowest mileage of any vehicle type: 2.8 miles per gallon

4. Why fleets are switching the natural gas garbage trucks Drivers Behind Switch to Natural Gas Trucks • Surest compliance with clean air regulations • Addresses urban concerns about asthma and cancer risk • Improves quality of life (trucks are50-98% quieter) • Economic feasibility: • Federal funds help cover incremental vehicle costs and fueling infrastructure

5. Findings: Pioneering Natural Gas Fleets INFORM survey of fleets operating alternative fuel garbage trucks in 2002, updated in 2004 • Natural gas is most common commercial alternative fuel used • Natural gas engines developed for buses making its way into the refuse hauler market • Short daily routes and central refueling are conducive to use of natural gas • Still, less than 1 percent of the garbage trucks in the US operate on natural gas

6. Findings: 2002 Natural Gas Garbage Truck Fleets 26 Fleets, 692 Natural Gas Trucks

7. Findings: Expansion of 2002 Fleets by 2004 966 Natural Gas Trucks, Up 40% 10 Larger Fleets, 6 Smaller

8. Summary of 2004 Update Strong Growth in Existing and New Natural Gas Fleets Since 2002 • 40% growth in 2002 fleets, 274 net new trucks • 26 new fleets since 2002, 382 new trucks • 1,308 natural gas trucks now in 3 states • 89 percent growth in 2 years • LNG emerging as fuel of choice (79% in 2004, up from 68% in 2002) • California, Texas, and Massachusetts lead • INFORM’s 2002 projection seems conservative—natural gas is very strong

9. Findings: Natural Gas Garbage Truck Use Slowly Increasing INFORM Projected in 2002 Natural Gas Refuse Truck Fleet to Triple by 2010

10. Observations Natural Gas Fleets: A Winning Urban Strategy • Natural gas trucks are commercial options today. • Garbage trucks - centrally refueled and traveling short distances - make fueling infrastructure viable. • Significant funding can offset the costs of implementation. • Success relies on partnerships with fuel suppliers, refueling infrastructure builders, vehicle providers, and funding sources. • Natural gas, a domestically plentiful fuel, helps reduce fleet reliance on imported oil. • Natural gas use paves the way for a future transition to hydrogen.

11. A Viable Path to Hydrogen

12. Please visit INFORM’s website for more information: www.informinc.org Joanna D. Underwoodphone (212) 361-2400 ex. 222underwood@informinc.org