A Florida-based beer distributor announced Monday plans to expand its CNG powered fleet and the building of a second CNG station in Ft. Myers, Fla.
J.J. Taylor Companies, Inc. will receive 10 new 2014 Freightliner Cascadia tractors equipped with the new Cummins-Westport ISX 12G engine and the Allison 4000 HS automatic transmission by January 2014.
The new CNG station in Ft. Myers will be ready by February 2014 when TruStar Energy completes construction, the company says. The station will have two islands with a fast-fill double pump each and will be open to the public as well as other medium and small fleets in the area.
The new tractors are part of the transportation fleet used by J.J. Taylor in its cross-docking and doubles operation. The company says it plans to add an additional 27 route delivery units using the ISLG 9 liter engine in the FT. Myers/Southwest Florida market area.
Of these, 17 of the units will be added in July 2014 and the rest in January 2015.
With the additions, J.J. Taylor will have a total of 80 CNG powered units – 48 percent of its Florida fleet – by January 2015.
The company plans convert 100 percent of its Florida fleet by 2017.
“The transition to natural gas fuel will not only save us money on fuel, it will result in cleaner air,” Company Fleet Manager and senior executive Jose Rivera says. “Every diesel engine we replace with CNG is the equivalent of taking 320 cars off the road. Plus, with our station available to the public, we’re helping to build a natural gas infrastructure for private/government fleets and private citizens.”
In June of this year Governor Rick Scott signed H.B. 579 into law, authorizing a five-year tax-free holiday (sales tax, excise tax and otherwise) on compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), and propane auto gas. The new law also provides cash incentives for the purchase or lease of new vehicles.
J.J. Taylor Distributing Florida, Inc. currently distributes beer brands from over one hundred domestic, craft and import suppliers serving more than 10,000 retail customers in 17 Florida counties covering 13,575 square miles, with a population of over 5 million people.
