Hybrid Garbage Truck Comes To New Haven, Connecticut

The City of New Haven, Connecticut showed off the newest garbage truck in their fleet on May 9.

"Hybrid vehicles are a benefit to New Haven because they improve street-level air quality for our residents, reduce overall emissions, and reduce the City’s fuel costs," said Mayor John DeStefano. "I am please the City is taking the next step in its mission to continue as a regional leader in improving air quality."

The hybrid garbage truck has a hydraulic hybrid system. During braking, a pump is engaged to pressurize a reservoir of hydraulic fluid. As the truck starts forward again, the fluid runs through a hydraulic motor, boosting the truck forward, and reducing the strain on the diesel engine. This type of hybrid system is best for vehicles that start and stop continuously.

The total cost of the truck is $388,000. A $70,000 grant, secured by the City Office of Sustainability, from Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Clean Fuel Vehicle Program, covers all of the incremental cost of the hybrid system over a traditional truck.

The truck averages 34,000 stops a week. It's believed the truck will save up to 30 percent in fuel consumption over the regular diesels, or roughly $5,000 a year.

Currently the City has fleet of nine refuse trucks that on average each transport about 3,888 tons of municipal solid waste a year. Going forward, as the traditional refuse trucks reach the end of their useful work life, the City plans to continue to purchase hybrid refuse trucks, potentially having an all-hybrid fleet in the next decade.

"The next one, frankly will be squad cars, which run a lot, they get an incredible amount of usage," said Mayor DeStefano.

And how will something that gets so dirty run so clean? The truck also has a filter that captures harmful particles that usually are forced in the air.

There are a total of thirteen garbage trucks in New Haven's fleet and if they get the money, they'd like to get one of these vehicles per year.

NAFA Fleet Management Association
125 Village Blvd., Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004