EVANSVILLE, IN – Veolia ES Solid Waste, Inc. introduced Indiana’s first fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG) powered refuse trucks during a ceremony celebrating the company’s new fleet and CNG fueling station at its Evansville, Ind., location.

Indiana-based manufacturer Autocar built the chassis for 20 of the trucks and Kenworth manufactured eight roll-off trucks for Veolia’s new fleet. All will service more than 24,000 residential and commercial customers across Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson, Posey, Spencer, and Henderson counties in the greater Evansville, Ind., area. The new trucks run approximately 15 percent (8-10 decibels) quieter than trucks powered with diesel engines and also come equipped with automated collection systems that increase efficiency, protect the health and safety of drivers, prolong the life of the truck, and further reduce emissions, according to the company.

The CNG fueling station in Evansville utilizes time-fill fueling technology that allows drivers to fuel their trucks during overnight hours, minimizing administrative and operational downtime. In addition, Veolia recently received a $500,000 Clean Cities grant to support its investment in a new CNG fleet. The grant is supported by federal funds through the Indiana Office of Energy Development in support of the Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV) program.

“We’re very pleased to be the first waste hauler to bring CNG technology to Indiana,” said Jim Long, president and CEO of Veolia ES Solid Waste, Inc. “Veolia recognizes that the Evansville community is devoted to sustainability and protecting our environment.”

Veolia currently operates four CNG fueling stations and more than 100 CNG-powered refuse collection and support vehicles in North America. In March, Veolia was announced as one of the newest members of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities National Clean Fleets Partnership program.