Matheson Trucking Adds to Green Fleet with 37 New Natural Gas Tractors

Matheson Trucking has added 25 new CNG and 12 LNG tractors to its fleet as part of a company-wide clean energy expansion program designed to improve air quality, lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and to decrease diesel fuel consumption on routes served by the Matheson Postal Services Division.

“With annual fleet distances driven totaling nearly 36 million miles, combining peak and non-peak times, we continue to search for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and GHG emissions to enhance the environment,” said Debra White, vice president, Information Technology and Fleet Maintenance for Matheson Trucking.

The company introduced 12 LNG Kenworth T880 day cabs in Oakland, California, in January and has completed the deployment of 17 CNG Kenworth T680’s in Boise, Idaho. Matheson is in the process of taking delivery of eight additional CNG T680 sleeper cabs for its Los Angeles to Seattle runs.

The CNG tractors destined for Boise include five, three-axle sleepers; ten, three-axle day cabs, and two, single-axle day cabs. These tractors pull a mix of trailers in Boise, with most in the 53 ft. category, used to transport U.S. Postal Service mail along designated routes.

“We plan to increase our inventory of green CNG tractors in the fleet wherever it is practical and cost effective to do so, and while diesel may still have an edge on long-haul routes, Matheson wants to move in a positive, responsible direction by becoming less dependent on fossil fuel,” said Joshua Matheson, vice president of operations.

Together these new vehicles bring the company’s tractor fleet total across all divisions to 262.