Minnesota Summit On Natural Gas In Trucking Opens October 17

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Oct 15, 2013, 10:14 ET

ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Natural gas is $1.50 to $2.00 cheaper per gallon than diesel fuel today, and it is cleaner burning. Converting more fleets of trucks to natural gas is one of the outcomes expected from the region's first industry-wide summit on natural gas in trucking opening this Thursday, October 17 at the Early Brown Center in Brooklyn Center. Details at www.mntruck.org.

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The Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA) believes strongly in natural gas as a clean fuel for trucks. It planned the summit to answer questions and hear from the industry experts poised to help trucking companies and any city, county or organization with commercial motor vehicles make the change.

"Many trucking firms can recoup their investment in just a few years and reduce their fuel costs up to 50 percent," said MTA President John Hausladen. "Cost savings are a huge incentive coupled with improved air quality from use of natural gas in heavy duty vehicles. We know its use reduces greenhouse gases by 20-23 percent over diesel. That's a significant positive impact on air quality and health."

"We have a 100-year plus supply of natural gas in the United States," continued Hausladen. "We don't need the government's help to make this work. Natural gas has emerged as a viable truck fuel largely without the help of government subsidies.

"The infrastructure is in place. We have the engines, the distribution and fueling stations. We know what it takes to add natural gas trucks to a fleet and upgrade service facilities to maintain them."

Kwik Trip in LaCrosse is already a regional leader operating much of its fleet with natural gas. They will provide a case study about recently converting their stores and fleets to natural gas. Dart Transit Company in Eagan will also discuss its experiences using natural gas vehicles.

Other speakers for the summit include fuel supplier Clean Energy; engine manufacturer Cummins Westport; truck makers Kenworth, Volvo and Daimler; national leasing company Ryder Systems; and logistics leader UPS.

About MTA: The Minnesota Trucking Association is a non-profit trade association representing over 720 member-trucking companies and allied firms from across the state. The membership reflects the diversity of the Minnesota trucking industry, including less-than-truckload, truckload, bulk, agricultural, heavy specialized and private trucking operations.

Contact: John Hausladen, MTA President /CEO, [email protected], cell 651-295-5672

SOURCE Minnesota Trucking Association