“Full speed ahead” was the phrase coming out of AT&T recently as the company revealed it had deployed its 8,000th compressed natural gas vehicle, achieving a major milestone in the company’s overall 10-year, $565 million commitment to add approximately 15,000 alternative fuel vehicles to its fleet by end of year 2018.
The milestone CNG vehicle — a 2014 Chevy Express van manufactured in Wentzville, Mo. — was delivered to a work center in St. Louis and will be used to provide entertainment and communications services in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
“With one of the largest corporate fleets in the country, it makes sense for our business and our communities that we constantly seek ways to reduce fuel costs and minimize environmental impact,” says Jerome Webber, vice president, Global Fleet and Transportation Management at AT&T. “Operating a diverse fleet, which includes alternative fuel vehicles, supports AT&T’s commitment to sustainability and exemplifies how we strive to do business.”
In addition to CNG, AT&T has deployed hybrid electric, all electric and extended-range electric vehicles, achieving a total AFV fleet of more than 10,000 vehicles located in 43 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
As AT&T looks to accomplish its broader target of over 15,000 AFVs, the company says it will continue to deploy a mix of technologies to meet the varied vehicle needs of its drivers.
AT&T’s AFV fleet allowed the company to avoid the purchase of 12.4 million gallons of gasoline as of the end of 2013, over the 5-year period since the company’s commitment to alternative fuels was first announced.
