First Alternative Fuel Trucks Provided Under Ryder/SANBAG Natural Gas
Vehicle Project To Reduce Carbon Emissions and Improve Environmental
Impact
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) announced delivery of five natural
gas-fueled delivery vehicles to Dean Foods, Ryder’s first customer for
natural gas commercial vehicles made available through Ryder’s agreement
with the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) in Southern
California. The $38.7 million effort is part of a joint public/private
partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy
Commission, the Southern California Association of Governments Clean
Cities Coalition, and Ryder System, Inc. The Ryder/SANBAG project
includes 202 natural gas vehicles, upgrades to three maintenance
facilities for the proper servicing of natural gas vehicles, and the
construction of two fueling stations.
Dean Foods (NYSE: DF) is a leading dairy processor and owner of one of
the largest refrigerated direct-store delivery distribution networks in
the food and beverage industry. The company has made a significant
commitment to reducing carbon emissions in its transportation fleet and
investing in alternative fuel technology. The Ryder natural gas vehicles
are the first of their kind in the Dean Foods fleet, and produce up to
27 percent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional diesel
vehicles. Ryder delivered the compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to
Dean Foods’ Alta Dena Dairy division in Southern California in early
June.
“Dean Foods constantly looks for ways to reduce costs and drive
efficiency in our operations,” said Tom Murray, Pacific Coast Group Vice
President for Dean Foods, which includes Southern California’s Alta Dena
Dairy. “Advancements in transportation technology like the Ryder CNG
vehicles also lower our carbon emissions and improve our environmental
footprint in the communities like Southern California, where so many of
our employees work and live.”
“We are very excited to have Dean Foods as our first commercial fleet
customer for gas vehicles in Southern California. Our participation in
the SANBAG project puts Ryder at the forefront of alternative fuels
options for commercial heavy-duty vehicles. We are committed to
leadership in helping our customers manage their businesses more
effectively, whether through fleet management outsourcing, affordable
vehicle options, or these new natural gas offerings,” said Alex
Madrinkian, Vice President of Sales for Ryder’s West Region.
“Greening the Fleet” with Natural Gas Vehicles
The CNG vehicles support Dean Foods’ Smart Fleet initiative, an
enterprise-wide effort to “green the fleet” by reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and other pollutants through delivery route optimization, new
technology, and equipment and training for drivers. Smart Fleet
activities, including the new Ryder vehicles, play a role in meeting the
company’s carbon reduction goals. Dean Foods has committed to reducing
its carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2013.
With 6,000 refrigerated trailers, 3,000 refrigerated delivery trucks,
2,000 delivery tractors and 6,500 daily routes for direct store
delivery, Dean Foods is the eighth largest private carrier in the
country. This national scale gives Dean Foods the opportunity to lead
innovation throughout the industry, improving the way manufacturers
bring goods to consumers.
Helping Customers with Sustainable Choices
“Through our initiatives like the Southern California SANBAG joint
partnership, Ryder offers an affordable entry point to help customers
invest in an abundant, long-term domestic energy source. And we give
them the flexibility to switch their fleet to green when they’re ready.
In other words, it’s sustainability without a catch,” said Madrinkian.
“We appreciate the partnership with Ryder on this important initiative,”
said Mike Ahart, Dean Foods Vice President of Transportation. “Ryder is
an important strategic supplier that has demonstrated a focus on helping
customers succeed with environmentally-friendly, alternative fuel
transportation options. We applaud Ryder’s desire to help customers
bring new technologies into their fleets.”
An Easy Fleet Change Out
Ahart also commended Ryder’s commitment to simplifying access to
sustainable fleet efficiencies, “We appreciate Ryder’s role in bringing
CNG vehicles to market, driving growth in sustainable transportation
projects.”
The five single-axle tractors pull 28-foot delivery refrigerated pup
trailers. Dean Foods expects a smooth integration of the new vehicles
with minimal impact on current operations. The company anticipates
adding more CNG vehicles to its fleet in the future.
About Ryder
Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial transportation, logistics and supply
chain management solutions company. Ryder’s stock (NYSE:R) is a
component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard &
Poor’s 500 Index. Inbound Logistics magazine has recognized Ryder
as the top third party logistics provider and included Ryder in its 2010
“50 Green Partners” listing. Ryder also ranked 114 out of the top 500
U.S. companies and sixth in its industry sector in the 2010 Newsweek
Green Rankings. Security Magazine has named Ryder one of the top
companies for security practices in the transportation, logistics,
supply chain, and warehousing sector. Ryder is a proud member of the
American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, supporting national
and local disaster preparedness and response efforts. For more
information on Ryder System, Inc., visit www.ryder.com.
About Dean Foods
Dean Foods is one of the leading food and beverage companies in the
United States and a European leader in branded soy foods and beverages.
The Company's Fresh Dairy Direct-Morningstar segment is the largest U.S.
processor and distributor of milk, creamer, and cultured dairy products.
These offerings are marketed under more than 50 local and regional dairy
brands, as well as through private labels. The WhiteWave-Alpro segment
produces and sells an array of branded dairy, soy and plant-based
beverages and foods. WhiteWave brands, including Silk(R) soy and almond
milk, Horizon Organic(R) milk and dairy products, International
Delight(R) coffee creamers, and LAND O'LAKES(R) creamers, are category
leaders and consumer favorites. Alpro is the pan-European leader in
branded soy food products. For more information, visit www.deanfoods.com.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements
and information included in this news release are
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements are based on our current plans and expectations and are
subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly,
these forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration
given to the many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results and events to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements including those risks set forth in our
periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New
risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management
to predict all such risk factors or to assess the impact of such risks
on our business. Accordingly, we undertake no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Source: Ryder System, Inc.