Waste Hauler Picks Collection Vehicles Using Natural Gas

The waste management firm Choice Environmental Services, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, introduced a new fleet of refuse trucks that use compressed natural gas instead of diesel fuel. In doing so, the company says that it is the first private waste hauler in south Florida to make the switch to natural gas.

The ten-truck fleet will reduce harmful emissions by over 25 percent compared to diesel-fueled trucks, according to company officials. The new trucks are also fully automated residential collection vehicles, with high compaction bodies that will reduce the number of trips they’ll need to make to the landfill. The Autocar chassis are equipped with Hercules ASL bodies supplied by E-Z Pack Manufacturing, Cynthiana, Ky.

E-Z Pack modified the ASL body with the additional fuel cells in direct response to Choice Environmental’s request for greater fuel capacity. The total CNG fuel capacity is equivalent to 60 gallons of diesel, which gives each truck the range of a typical diesel-fueled vehicle.