Republic Services unveiled a new compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station and more than 50 new CNG-powered trucks to serve customers throughout the Twin Cities region. The new CNG trucks are replacing older, diesel-powered trucks in the Company’s Twin Cities-based fleet.

“We are dedicated to providing our customers and the communities we serve with outstanding service, while doing business in the most sustainable manner possible,” said Jeff Marone, general manager of Republic Services. “We are leveraging alternative fuels and fleet innovation to help reduce fleet greenhouse gas emissions and do our part to preserve our Blue Planet. We believe we have a responsibility to lead by example, with a commitment to reduce carbon emissions whenever possible.”

Republic operates a total of 115 collection vehicles that serve customers in both Eden Prairie, Minn., and Hennepin County. Nearly 50% of Republic’s fleet in the area is powered by the domestic natural gas fuel source. Clean Energy Fuels designed and built the CNG fueling station.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each new CNG collection truck deployed is equivalent to planting over 600 mature trees each year. Based on EPA calculations, the carbon emissions reduction benefits from Republic’s CNG powered fleet in the Twin Cities is equivalent to planting more than 30,000 mature trees annually.

Republic has more than 500 employees in the Twin Cities area who serve more than 200,000 households and over 10,000 commercial customers. Republic also owns and operates two recycling centers and two transfer stations locally. 

Nationwide, Republic operates a fleet of more than 2,500 CNG vehicles and 38 natural gas fueling stations. Republic’s CNG fleet helps to save roughly 18 million gallons of diesel fuel annually. As the operator of the eighth largest vocational fleet in the country, Republic has set a goal of reducing fleet greenhouse gas emissions by 3% by 2018.