As part of its collective efforts to reduce air emissions in and around the harbor, the Port of Los Angeles has added eight new alternative fuel trucks and cars to its existing fleet of construction vehicles and equipment. Designed to reduce emissions in industrial areas, the four new trucks carry individual costs ranging from $60,000 to more than $200,000 and were partially funded by a state incentive program administered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The trucks range in size from medium-duty to heavy-duty and utilize one of three different alternative fuel systems - dedicated compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or dual-fuel engines. Manufactured by Caterpillar Inc. (Peoria, IL), the dual-fuel engines were used on the largest new trucks, which each hold a 58,000 gross vehicle weight rating. The dual-fuel system utilizes ultra-low, sulfur diesel fuel only as a pilot ignition to power the principal compressed natural gas fuel source.
