AT&T adds 105 alternative fuel vehicles to fleet

AT&T Inc. plans to add 105 alternative-fuel vehicles to their corporate fleet. The vehicles, which will roll out in more than 30 cities across the United States in June, will help the company reduce its impact on the environment and its dependence on imported oil.

After evaluating several alternative-fuel technologies, AT&T will deploy three types of alternative-fuel vehicles. AT&T will measure and track fuel efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, operating costs, performance and driver satisfaction of each vehicle.

“Reducing our fleet’s petroleum fuel consumption and operating costs is a top priority,” said Jerome Webber, vice president of fleet operations. “Even the smallest improvement in fuel use, when applied across our corporate fleet, can make a significant impact for the environment and for our business.”

The alternative-fuel vehicles consist of 25 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vans, 65 electric hybrid original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicles - Ford Escapes and Toyota Priuses - and 15 electric hybrid conversion work trucks.

AT&T estimates that its use of these alternative-fuel and more fuel-efficient vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 124 metric tons and conserve nearly 34,395 gallons of fuel annually.

The CNG vans are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 30 percent compared with traditional gasoline vans. The electric hybrid OEM vehicles are expected to offer a 39 percent improvement in fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 29 percent. The electric hybrid conversion work trucks are expected to offer a 38 percent improvement in fuel economy compared with similar gasoline-powered vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent.