Grocery delivery fleet Tops Friendly Markets has signed a full-service lease agreement with Ryder System for 55 compressed natural gas trucks. The trucks are scheduled to be delivered to Tops in mid-2015 and will replace the company’s fleet of diesel-powered vehicles.

Ryder will also be providing maintenance for the CNG trucks at its Buffalo, N.Y., service facility, which is being upgraded to meet natural gas service standards. Tops is grocery retailer in the northeast and will use the trucks to support its distribution and delivery operations.

“Ryder is leveraging its leadership in natural gas to make it as easy as possible for customers to implement sustainable transportation solutions that also enable them to realize meaningful cost-savings and efficiencies,” said Dennis Cooke, president of global fleet management solutions at Ryder.

The project is expected to help Tops save more than 50% of its fuel costs annually and reduce greenhouse emissions by 3,138 tons per year, says Ryder.

“We have the confidence that we can get the service and performance we need from our new natural gas fleet while operating more cost efficiently and environmentally friendly,” said Ron Ferri, senior vice president of distribution and logistics at Tops.