| GNA Assists Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. With First-Of-Its-Kind Natural Gas Heavy Duty Truck Project |
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SANTA MONICA, CA - April 7, 2010 - The Board of San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) today announced that Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. (Ryder) has been selected as its fleet partner in a groundbreaking heavy-duty natural gas truck rental and leasing project in Southern California. Ryder will use $18.8 million in state and federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funding granted to SANBAG to implement the project. This financial support was awarded last year in response to competitive applications crafted by Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA). On August 26, 2009, Vice President Joe Biden and United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) Secretary Steven Chu announced awards totaling $300 million in grant funding through the DOE Clean Cities Program. Over 100 applications were submitted, seeking nearly $1 billion in funding. Of the 25 applications awarded funding, 11 included projects assisted by GNA, and included the $10 million award for the SANBAG project. With assistance from GNA, an additional $9.3 million was awarded from the California Energy Commission (CEC) Assembly Bill 118 Alternative and Renewable Fuel & Vehicle Technology Program. Both the DOE and CEC are focused on accelerating the implementation of clean alternative fuel vehicles, green jobs and the reduction of petroleum demand from the U.S. transportation sector – all goals that will certainly be accomplished through the Ryder project. “We are extremely pleased to partner with Ryder on this cutting-edge project and to work collaboratively to reduce diesel emissions and improve air quality in the region,” commented Paul Eaton, SANBAG Board President and the Mayor from the City of Montclair. “This is the first time that natural gas trucks have been deployed into a commercial truck rental and leasing operation and we are very proud to be the facilitator for this groundbreaking effort.” SANBAG has been working closely with Ryder to ensure that these significant incentives would be put to use in order to deliver the most impact. “As Ryder has more than 1,200 customers operating over 6,000 heavy-duty vehicles in Southern California, the number of customers that will be able to get behind the wheel of a modern natural gas truck is tremendous,” commented Erik Neandross, Chief Executive Officer of GNA. “By placing more than 200 natural gas trucks into a truck rental and leasing fleet, the exposure to the technology will be significant. As is always the case, the drivers love these trucks. We expect the use of these ultra-clean machines will be expanded after each fleets first exposure to the technology. GNA is proud to be playing a key role in providing our clients with access to the technologies, innovation, and funding opportunities that support these commercial deployments.” This initial project will replace more than 1.51 million gallons of diesel use annually with 100% domestically produced low-carbon liquefied and compressed natural gas. It will also contribute to the maintenance and creation of more than 400 U.S. green automotive jobs located in regions of the country that have been the hardest hit from the current economic downturn. The project is estimated to reduce more than 9.2 million pounds (4,195 metric tons) of greenhouse gas emissions per year, more than 131 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions annually and completely eliminate 2.65 tons of diesel particulate emissions from local neighborhoods. “Of course, these incredible benefits will proliferate as Ryder’s customers see that this technology can work for them in their application and they add additional units to their operation,” confirmed Erik Neandross. About GNA About SANBAG About Ryder
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