The City of Phoenix, Ariz.’s Mayor Greg Stanton, Vice Mayor Bill Gates, and other community leaders unveiled Phoenix’s new compressed natural gas (CNG) solid waste trucks and its newly enhanced slow-fill fueling station in mid-February.

The City stated its Public Works Department currently operates six CNG solid waste trucks, and that within two months, 20% of its fleet of solid waste trucks will be CNG vehicles, which will make Phoenix’s CNG fleet the largest in the state. By the summer of 2014, that percentage will increase to 30%, according to the City, with a goal to increase numbers by 10% to 15% every year.

“Once our fleet is fully converted to CNG, the city will save almost $2 million annually,” said Stanton. “Lower fuel prices help minimize future fee increases for weekly trash and recycling collection, which have not been raised since March 2009.”

The City stated that CNG prices in the area are around $1.50 per gallon equivalent, which will save the City money. Also, by switching to CNG, Phoenix will reduce its carbon footprint by nearly 78,000 lbs. per truck annually.

Phoenix said its alternative fuels program is one of the largest in the country and that nearly 3,600 vehicles in its fleet, or 56%, operate on alternative/clean fuels.

“This is another example of our city staff looking at every opportunity to save taxpayer dollars, and at the same time helping to advance our sustainability mission,” said Gates. “One CNG garbage truck in place of a diesel truck is achieving the air quality equivalent of removing 325 cars off the road. This program will protect taxpayers and our environment for years to come.”