UPS to increase its fuel fleet by 30%

UPS is expected to expand its fleet of alternative technology by up to 30%. The US parcel delivery giant is due to achieve this by the use on a single large investment in compressed natural gas systems. UPS has said it plans to build up to 15 additional natural gas (CNG) refuelling throughout the US.

Michael Nichols, UPS Senior Vice President of Transportation and Engineering, has said: "Today's CNG announcement demonstrates UPS's plans to expand use of widely available natural gas. CNG is an important building block in our long-term fleet strategy and offers environmental and economic advantages."

UPS already has 8 existing CNG fuel stations situated in California, Colorado, Georgia and Oklahoma, in addition to operating CNG vehicles in Germany, the Netherlands and Thailand. The deployment of the new CNG vehicles will be within 15 US cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas, Pennsylvania and Louisiana.

UPS has already reduced its use of conventional fuel by 34 million gallons since the year 2000, however the new CNG investment is anticipated to displace the use of 54 million gallons of conventional diesel and gasoline in a year.

Out with the old and in with the new: FedEx retires Boeing 727 and adds 1,900 new vehicles to its flight

After declaring the end of a chapter in aviation history last Friday when it announced the retirement of its long-serving Boeing 727 aircraft, US logistics giant FedEx revealed the addition of 1,900 new fuel-efficient vehicles to its fleet this afternoon.

The retired B727 (C/O Eric Prado)

The 1,900 new additions to the fleet are lightweight, composite-body Reach vehicles, the engines and lower-weight bodies of which achieve a reduction in exhaust emissions compared to conventional walk-in vans. The new vehicles are 35% more fuel efficient than traditional vehicles in the FedEx Express fleet and will help the company realise efficiency savings at the same time as working towards its green target of reducing carbon emissions by 20% by 2020.