Going Green Can Be Costly Commitment

A big rig pulls out of a central warehouse in Irwindale, carrying a load destined for an Ace Hardware store.

It looks like an ordinary truck. But a quick inspection of the exhaust pipe shows how different it really is. No black puffs of smoke, no smelly fumes. Instead of diesel, it burns liquefied natural gas.

Built for Ace Hardware two years ago, it was the first heavy-duty natural-gas truck in California, and among the first in the nation. In pursuit of an environmentally sound image, Ace teamed with Ryder and convinced Cummins Engine Co. to specially manufacture the engine.

The hardware chain is one of only a few companies across the nation experimenting with natural-gas big rigs, which debuted two years ago.

In the first year, Ace’s truck was as demanding as a delinquent child. It was out of service for 165 days--half the year--with fuel tank problems, a nightmare for a company trying to transport goods in a timely way. A few times the 30-ton truck ran out of fuel, with no natural gas to be found for miles around, so it had to be towed. California has only about 50 stations that sell liquefied natural gas.

But the Ace Hardware managers wouldn’t give up. They insisted they were doing the right thing for Southern California’s environment. Even a brand-new diesel is about twice as dirty as a natural-gas truck when it comes to particle soot and smog-causing nitrogen oxides.

“We’ve had lots of sleepless nights and lots of grief, but we think it’s worth it,” said regional manager Lon McAnally.

The fuel tank defects have since been fixed, and Ace Hardware is pleased with the truck’s performance and hopes to buy more. Carrying plumbing supplies, electrical equipment, batteries and virtually everything else sold at Ace stores, the truck averages 200 miles a day.

Environmentally sensitive companies, however, were recently dealt a setback in their quest to replace diesels.

In April, due to low demand, Cummins Engine Co., the only manufacturer of large truck engines that burn 100% natural gas, stopped producing them.

A few trucking companies are switching to the only alternative to big rigs--a new dual-fuel engine that burns mostly natural gas but also some diesel.

In the trucking world, the niche for natural gas has remained tiny because the technology has limits and the trucks cost about $30,000 more than comparable diesels.

United Parcel Service has 450 natural gas vehicles in California. Diesels remain the company’s staple for long hauls because they are more reliable and easier to fuel.

“You have to work harder to make alternative fuels work,” said UPS spokeswoman Candace Trager. “There are barriers out there, including breakdowns and getting parts. But we believe in them, and we’ve tried very hard to use alternative fuels when we can.”

There can be unexpected benefits, however. Robert Murray of Trucking Unlimited in Santa Fe Springs began experimenting with alternative fuels out of anger at oil companies over high diesel prices. Of his 38 trucks, which log a million miles a year, three are dual-fuel engines that burn mostly natural gas.

His cleaner trucks, he found, attract prominent customers, companies like U.S. Gypsum and Georgia Pacific that want Murray to haul their cargo because it gives them a greener image. Corporate executives fly in, wearing suits and ties and riding in limos, simply to watch his truck being fueled with natural gas.

“The customers just love this stuff,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”