Palmer Trucks CNG

Mayor Ballards White Paper on Energy

Indianapolis will be the first major city in the United States to establish a formal, written policy to convert its entire fleet to post-oil technology by 2025. Given current technology, now is the time to begin this process. The United States current transportation energy model, driven by oil, exacts an enormous cost financially and in terms of strategic leverage. To reduce our dependence on oil, developing and diversifying viable American energy sources is required.

Indianapolis is a suitable launching pad for the process of changing the world through saving, and sustaining energy. We need cooperation and teamwork with everyone to implement this plan.

Indianapolis will lead the way, but we cannot change the world alone. We need a strong, dedicated coalition of cities and states, car manufacturers, non-profits, corporate partners, and domestic utilities to make this vision a reality. Continue Reading

First Used CNG Fleet Available

Palmer Trucks, based in Indianapolis, has 38 used 2012 Kenworth T440 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tractors for sale. These tractors are some of the first CNG tractor fleets to hit the secondary market in the country. They mark the migration of fleets switching their fuel choice from diesel to compressed natural gas. Fleets today are intently considering CNG for their transportation needs because of lower fuel costs and emissions of compressed natural gas.

Frank Walter, President of Palmer Leasing said, “Palmer Trucks previously leased these Kenworth T440 CNG tractors to Fair Oaks Dairy for their regional haul transportation requirements.” “The Fair Oaks Dairy fleet is the first agriculture-based compressed natural gas project to be registered with the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard in the United States.” Read More

Palmer Trucks CNG Industry Leaders

Natural gas powers over 100,000 vehicles in the United States and Palmer Trucks is proud to lead Indiana in providing heavy duty trucks in the alternative fuel markets. Due to the collaboration of Kenworth, Cummins, engineers, sales team, technicians and many others, Palmer Trucks has been able to maintain their success in the Indiana alternative fuel market. Advantages of natural gas as an alternative fuel include: domestic availability, widespread distribution infrastructure, low cost when compared to diesel and gasoline, and clean-burning qualities. These advantages have helped to make us successful. We even received the Compressed Natural Gas Award for Outstanding Leadership in Natural Gas Vehicle Maintenance and Safety Training for Fleets by Greater Indiana Clean Cities in December of 2012.

Fair Oaks Dairy truck fleets is one example of how successful we are in this area. They are one of the largest natural gas fueled long-haul fleet in the United States. These natural gas trucks are successfully hauling 80,000 pounds for durations of 700 or more miles a day, and consuming approximately 2.5M DGE of fuel per year. This project is the first agriculture-based natural gas project to be registered with the United States EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard.

Natural Gas

Natural gas powers more than 100,000 vehicles in the United States and roughly 11.2 million vehicles worldwide.1 Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) are a good choice for high-mileage fleets-such as buses and taxis-that are centrally fueled or operate within a limited area. The advantages of natural gas as an alternative fuel include its domestic availability, widespread distribution infrastructure, low cost compared with gasoline and diesel, and clean-burning qualities.

What is natural gas?

Natural gas is an odorless, nontoxic, gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons—pre-­dominantly methane (CH4). Because it is a gas, it must be stored onboard a vehicle in either a compressed gaseous or liquefied natural gas is typically stored in a tank at a pressure of 3,000 to 3,600 pounds per square inch. Liquefied natural gas is cooled and stored in its liquid phase at --260°F in special insulated tanks. Natural gas is sold in units of gasoline or diesel gallon equivalents based on the energy content of a gallon of gasoline or diesel fuel.

Fair Oaks Dairy

Fair Oaks Fleet includes the largest CNG fueled long–haul fleet in the US. As of September 2012, the project will be generating renewable methane from 13,000 dairy cows, cleaning it, it and dispensing compressing it into forty two (42) 9L Kenworth T440’s. These units are leased by the Palmer Trucks Leasing Group, PacLease, and are maintained by Palmer technicians. These CNG trucks are successfully hauling with an 80,000 pound GVWR, on average 700 miles per day ,and consuming approximately 2.5M DGE of fuel per year.