As part of their efforts to cut carbon emissions in a big way, AT&T has made a commitment to use alternative-fuel vehicles in their fleets. As of the end of January, the company has deployed 5,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) vans, 1,200 of which they ordered directly from Chevrolet. The vans, based on the Chevrolet Express 2500 and 3500 cargo vans, will help AT&T reach their goal of displacing 49 million gallons of gasoline by 2018.

It's part of a ten-year, $565 million investment in greening their fleets. Jerome Webber, VP of Fleet Operations at AT&T says, "As the economy rises and falls with fuel prices, we have a responsibility to look for smart ways to reduce our costs." He goes on to say that their total efforts make a "significant statement about the ability of fleet operators to not only reduce costs, but also to cut vehicle emissions. Every alternative fuel vehicle on the road brings us closer to energy independence, and that's good for our company and our country."¹

Helping AT&T cut their carbon emissions by a whopping 211,000 metric tons, are the Chevrolet Express CNG cargo vans powered by Vortec 6.0L V8 engines and gaseous fuel systems. Each van, when ordered directly from the factory, is covered by Chevrolet's three-year, 36,000-mile new vehicle warranty, and a five-year, 100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty.

"There are millions of fleet vehicles on the road today," says Brian Small, General Manager, GM Fleet and Commercial Operations. "We want to be a critical part of this sustainable revolution, helping make those conversions as easy as possible."²

What kind of difference will CNG fleet vehicles make in the long run? The EPA says that CNG-powered vehicles produce 25 percent fewer carbon emissions than similar gasoline or diesel-powered vans. AT&T's fleet revamp will stretch over ten years, but in the four years since they've started the project, they've already cut one million gallons of petroleum. By 2018, they will have removed the equivalent of 36,000 passenger vehicles from road in terms of carbon emissions.

Be sure to stay tuned with Hurricane Chevrolet to learn more about all of the work Chevrolet is doing to cut carbon emissions. From fuel-efficient models like 2012 Cruze to cargo vans powered by compressed natural gas, you can be sure that there is a greener mobile future ahead for all of us. Stop by and see us at 200 Saturn Way Hurricane, WV 25526 to learn more, chat with a member of our team, or take any of the 2012 Chevy models that catch your eye for a test drive.

Sources:
-¹http://www.ngvglobal.com/att-deploys-3000th-cng-fleet-vehicle-0826