Aramark Uniform Services is adding 78 hybrid electric vehicles to its fleet. The Stepvans are being manufactured by Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation.
AUS anticipates annual fuel savings will top 500 gallons per each HEV. The initial roll out of 25 hybrid stepvans is underway, with all 78 HEVs servicing routes in 28 states by spring. The company said that the HEVs will be used primarily in urban areas. As the hybrids are introduced, traditional vehicles will be retired, according to Aramark's Sarah Jarvis.
The fleet transition is funded by a $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Maryland Clean Cities Program, which aims to stimulate alternative fuel and advanced technology in the transportation sector. Aramark wouldn't release information on the expected ROI.
In addition to fuel savings, each hybrid, when compared to a standard diesel vehicle, reduces total greenhouse gases emissions by 30 percent and generates fuel efficiency gains between 20 to 40 percent.
The AUS fleet management program also includes the implementation of route-optimization software that maps out the most efficient and effective travel route between client sites.
