Vedder Transport Ltd. of Abbotsford, British Columbia has issued a purchase order for 50 Peterbilt 386 liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks powered by Westport HD LNG-powered engines.

"This is a significant order for LNG trucks in Western Canada," said Clark Quintin, President of Westport's HD division. "It further demonstrates that natural gas is rapidly becoming a mainstream fuel solution for the trucking industry in Canada. With the Province's 33 percent carbon reduction target by 2020, substantial commitment from Vedder Transport and Terasen Gas to operate LNG trucks is helping the Province achieve this target."

The new trucks will be used on routes within Southern British Columbia primarily servicing the bulk food grade industry.

Terasen Gas, a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., the largest distributor of natural gas in British Columbia, will fuel the Vedder Transport natural gas fleet through a planned LNG refuelling station in Abbotsford, which is expected to be built in 2011. In addition, Terasen Gas, through its Energy Efficiency and Conservation program, will offset the incremental cost of using LNG-powered trucks rather than their traditional diesel counterparts.

"At Vedder, we are committed to protecting the environment for future generations. Adding natural gas trucks to our fleet will help us reduce transportation-related emissions, ultimately improving air quality while reducing fuel management expenses," said Fred Zweep President of the Vedder Transportation Group.

"At Terasen Gas, we pride ourselves on being a forward thinking organization committed to helping address B.C.'s climate action goals by providing innovative energy solutions such as this for the transportation sector. We are working to facilitate the use of natural gas in new ways within B.C.," said Doug Stout, Vice President, Energy Solutions and External Relations, Terasen Gas and FortisBC. "These new trucks are a further demonstration that natural gas is an economically-viable, environmentally-friendly and convenient fuel source for the transportation sector."

"Peterbilt LNG trucks allow trucking fleets to move to lower-cost, domestically available natural gas while reducing harmful emissions and providing the performance that our customers need," said Arlen Savitt, Assistant General Manager at Peterbilt Motors. "We are excited to deliver an industry-leading product that will support Vedder's business and their commitment to the environment."

The Westport HD System consists of the GX 15-litre engine, proprietary Westport fuel injectors, LNG fuel tanks with integrated cryogenic fuel pumps, and associated electronic components to facilitate robust performance and reliable operation. The Westport HD GX engine is certified and compliant to 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board emission limits in North America.

More info: Westport HD.