Cox Continues 'Green' Initiative with Hybrid Vehicles in New England

As part of its effort to build a more environmentally - friendly fleet of fuel efficient vehicles, Cox Communications, New England has recently added the Hybrid Bucket Truck to its vehicle fleet.

Supplied by Navistar International Corp., the new hybrid trucks are expected to provide a potential fuel savings of nearly 60 percent in utility-type applications when the engine is turned off and electric power is operating the vehicle.

The DuraStar Hybrid trucks employ a parallel-type, diesel-electric hybrid architecture supplied by Eaton Corporation (News - Alert). The trucks incorporate an electric motor/generator between the output of an automated clutch and input of the automated transmission. The system recovers energy normally lost during braking and stores the energy in batteries. The hybrid-electric system can add power back into the driveline during start and acceleration.

This capability makes the truck more efficient in standard driving, particularly in city and stop-and-go driving.

At work sites, diesel emissions are completely eliminated as the hybrid truck operates equipment solely on the truck's battery power without having the engine running. The hybrid system can power the hydraulic pump that operates the aerial device.

Company sources said the hybrid trucks can operates aerial devices such as overhead utility booms and electric tools for up to two hours without the engine running. A “boom” or “bucket arm” extends on the trucks so wires on utility poles can be repaired or maintained.

The use of such hybrid vehicles is estimated to save 1,000-1,500 gallons of fuel per utility-type truck annually, says the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (of which Cox (News - Alert) is a member). In turn, this also results in the reduction of the annual greenhouse gas emissions by 11 to 16.5 tons per unit. The hybrid vehicles contribute towards reducing noise pollution as well.

"These new vehicles are part of the larger solution to reducing our company's carbon footprint. They save fuel, run quieter, and significantly reduce emissions in our communities," said Paul Cronin, senior vice president and general manager for Cox Communications.

Cox New England has added 13 hybrid Ford Escapes to its fleet since 2007, saving over 2,200 gallons of fuel and 31 tons of CO2 from being emitted into the environment.

The company has initiated a national sustainability program called Cox Conserves, a corporate program that includes the company's six major subsidiaries, which aims to reduce its carbon footprint an additional 20% by 2017. Through operational changes and by encouraging employees to adopt environmentally conscious practices, Cox Enterprises has already reduced its carbon footprint by 10% from 2000-2007.

Cox has started to using flex-fuel vehicles and replacing existing vehicles with more fuel- efficient and/or hybrid models. Cronin added, “These clean, green vehicles are part of our company's comprehensive set of eco-friendly programs aimed at reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainability."