Plant fuel trials flourish at TNT
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Express delivery company TNT is extending its trial of a pioneering green diesel in a drive to make its vehicles more environmentally friendly and reduce fuel bills.
Eight TNT Express Services depots across the north of England are road testing Bio-Diesel - a product derived from rapeseed and other plant oils, which, it is claimed, can reduce vehicle emissions and improve fuel economy.
The trial, which began as a six-month pilot last August at the company's Ramsbottom depot in Lancashire, has been extended to cover Rotherham, Leeds, Deeside, Durham, Teesside, Manchester and Carlisle.
Some 400 vehicles, including 7.5 tonne collection and delivery trucks, articulated lorries and company cars, are taking part in the pilot, which will be evaluated at the end of September.
The fuel is made up of 95% conventional diesel and five per cent Bio-Diesel - a compound derived from vegetable and plant oils. Manufacturers claim that drivers will see an improvement of up to two per cent in fuel economy and a reduction in exhaust emissions.
Nigel Barton, director of operations, said: ‘As a leader in the express delivery market and one of the UK's major users of diesel we are keen to both enhance the environmental impact of our operation and deliver a cost efficient service for our customers.
‘Our fleet of more than 3500 vehicles uses some 27 million litres of diesel every year so a two per cent improvement in fuel economy would make a significant impact on fuel consumption and, potentially, cost. We will be looking carefully at the results of this extended pilot in the autumn.’ Steve Davis, national engineering manager for TNT, said: ‘Having begun the trial at Rambsottom we were keen to extend it further, to a larger group of depots and vehicles which will better reflect the whole TNT fleet. The pilot sites are among the first to use a new fuel management system, enabling us to accurately measure the fuel economy of each vehicle.’
