AmeriPride Takes Delivery of First Hydraulic Hybrid Truck

LOVELAND, Colo., Nov. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AmeriPride Services Inc., a leading uniform and linen supply company in North America, took delivery of its first fuel-efficient hydraulic hybrid system this month.  The vehicle, a 2014 Ford F59 chassis with a Morgan Olson Route Star walk-in van body, will be put into delivery service in one of its Canadian Linen branches in Toronto, Ontario.  AmeriPride has selected Lightning Hybrids to provide the hybrid systems that are expected to significantly reduce fuel consumption, reduce brake maintenance costs and cut emissions for cleaner air.

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This truck, the first hydraulic hybrid in AmeriPride's fleet of approximately 1,900 vehicles in North America, will achieve better fuel economy than the comparable non-hybrid vehicle because it captures, stores and re-uses the braking energy which is normally wasted in the conventional, non-hybrid vehicle.  In addition, the hybrid is cleaner, emitting lower emissions and brake particulates, furthering AmeriPride's clean operations and commitment to the environment.

"Testing this hydraulic hybrid is a part of a larger company initiative to reduce energy consumption and our carbon footprint," said Brian Keegan, SVP of Plant Operations and Supply Chain for AmeriPride Services and Canadian Linen. "Last year our company launched a pilot program to test compressed natural gas, propane and plug-in electric vehicles in an effort to positively impact the environment and assess the impact on the company's overall operations."

The company has already replaced many of its cargo vans with fuel-efficient sedans and rerouted a majority of its service routes to reduce mileage. It has also incorporated better internal controls to reduce idling and speeding and implemented better training and communication with drivers to increase awareness and promote behavioral change. AmeriPride also acquired several double-decker semi-truck trailers that have twice the cargo capacity and will greatly reduce fuel and emissions.

The Lightning Hybrids system was installed at the Morgan Olson facility in Sturgis, MI.  Morgan Olson supplies more walk-in van to the textile rental industry than any other manufacturer in North America. Larry Palmer, Morgan Olson's Director of Fleet Sales states: "More large fleets are interested in these new fuel saving technologies and Morgan Olson is leading the way to incorporate these systems into our walk-in van builds. We've built our legendary walk-in vans on every new technology from electric to CNG and propane, and we believe hydraulic hybrids are another way to reduce emissions and increase fuel savings. We're looking forward to working with Lightning Hybrids and our loyal partners at AmeriPride."

"We are very excited to launch this project with AmeriPride and Morgan Olson," stated David Brosky, Vice President of Sales for Lightning Hybrids.  "Both companies are proving to be very committed and engaged early adopters of our hybrid technology and they both share our strong commitment to improve the energy efficiency and lower the emissions of vocational trucks."

Lightning Hybrids currently has several systems operating in fleets around the world and expects significant growth in the next quarter and beyond.  The system is made and assembled in Loveland, Colorado at Lightning's advanced manufacturing and engineering facilities.

About Lightning Hybrids
Lightning Hybrids designs and manufactures hybrid systems for medium and heavy duty fleet vehicles.  The system provides fuel efficiency by regenerating braking energy, provides safer braking and more power for acceleration, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. The Lightning Hybrids system does not have any batteries, instead safely and efficiently storing energy mechanically in composite hydraulic accumulators, which are a fraction of the cost and weight of batteries.  The system can be installed on new vehicles as well as retrofitted on vehicles already in service.  It is sold through a network of dealers and upfitters.
Additional company information can be found online at www.lightninghybrids.com

About AmeriPride
Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, AmeriPride Services is recognized as one of the largest uniform rental and linen supply companies in North America. Operating more than 115 production facilities and service centers and 1,900 delivery trucks and service vehicles on the road every day, AmeriPride provides linen, uniforms, floor mats, restroom and cleaning products to nearly 150,000 customers every week. Founded in 1889 by George and Frank Steiner, the privately held company is still owned and managed by the Steiner family. Commitment to the customer, personalized service and innovation has sustained the company for nearly 125 years.
Additional company information can be found online at www.ameripride.com.

About Morgan Olson
Morgan Olson is headquartered in Sturgis, Michigan. Morgan Olson's legacy dates back to the late 1940's when J.B.E. Olson became "the inventor of the Walk-in Van". Morgan Olson now manufactures delivery solutions on cab chassis and cargo vans.
Additional company information can be found at www.morganolson.com

Media Contact: 
Bonnie Trowbridge
(303)519-4144
Email

SOURCE AmeriPride

Related Links

http://www.ameripride.com