Roughly 10 years ago, Paper Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 102) integrated compressed natural gas (CNG)/renewable natural gas (RNG) vehicles into its fleet. Just in time to celebrate Earth Day Monday, the company surpassed 70 million miles.
Emerging from the 2008 recession, De Pere, Wisconsin-based PTI saw three potential benefits of transitioning to natural gas: it's a cleaner fuel source for the environment, there was economic cost savings to be had, and the fleet wanted to alleviate its reliance on foreign oil.
For one of its large consumer products manufacturers, PTI combined Intermodal transport with asset-backed CNG/RNG trucks for drayage, successfully removing 2,419 tons of greenhouse gases from supply chains since 2013.
"We're encouraged by shippers' recognition of proven alternative fuels like RNG/CNG, as highlighted in the NACFE's 'Messy Middle' description," said Chief Commercial Officer Jared Stedl. "While BEVs are increasingly present in transportation, local applications such as Intermodal drayage remain ideal for their shorter run and return-to-base nature. Shippers can collaborate with carriers like PTI to adopt RNG as an alternate fuel, leveraging existing technology and infrastructure. Natural gas applications are economically viable today and can effectively replace diesel fuel in longer-range scenarios without sacrificing payload capacity."
Fast forward
PTI recently refreshed its fleet with the the Kenworth Next Gen NG sleeper and daycabs.
PTI currently has 59 trucks RNG/CNG trucks in its 800-plus truck fleet operating in 13 states (Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Wisconsin and California), and in collaboration with and commitment from shippers, expects to expand. By the end of 2024, PTI aims to cross 74 million miles with natural gas, saving 725,540 diesel gallons of fuel use.
"At PTI, sustainability isn't just a goal; it's a way of doing business," remarked Ben Schill, Chief Executive Officer at PTI. "The technology and processes are here today to make a difference for generations to come. It's time to act on what is available to us now."
