Republic Expands Waste CNG Fleet in Phoenix Area

Republic Services Inc. has expanded its compressed natural gas (CNG) waste and recycling truck fleet in Arizona with the addition of four CNG trucks serving the greater Phoenix area.

The Phoenix-based Republic operates a natural gas fueling station at its Lower Buckeye location to support its expanding CNG fleet based in Phoenix. Republic said in a news release 19 percent of its fleet serving the area is now powered by a domestic fuel source. The Phoenix fleet expansion brings the number of natural gas trucks operated by Republic in Arizona to 34.

Republic operates a total of 178 collection trucks in the Phoenix area and 280 statewide.

“This CNG fleet expansion represents a significant investment in cleaner, safer and more efficient vehicles in our local Phoenix Metro area,” said Alberto Guardado, Republic area president.

Republic serves more than 14,000 commercial customers throughout the Phoenix Valley area. It operates three landfills, six transfer stations and three hauling divisions in the region, and employs 256 people.

Republic has made a commitment to being more sustainable this year, and CNG has been a big part of that. In November the waste and recycling hauler added eight CNG collection trucks to its fleet serving customers throughout the greater Raleigh, N.C., area, bringing the total number of CNG vehicles operated by Republic throughout North Carolina to 25.

In July, Republic added 17 CNG trucks to its fleet in the Denver area, bringing its total number of natural gas-powered vehicles in Colorado to 82.

“We are proceeding with our CNG strategy while monitoring fuel prices,” Steven Saltzgiver, Republic vice president of fleet management, told Waste360 at the time.

Since the beginning of the year, the percentage of CNG trucks, relative to Republic’s overall fleet, has increased to 15 percent from about 14 percent.

 “We have delivered more than 130 CNG trucks so far this year, and anticipate delivering more than 150 additional CNG trucks by the end of year,” Saltzgiver says.