An industry leader with a commitment to sustainability, Saddle Creek Logistics Services was tasked with expanding its CNG operations to meet customer demand. It did so by designing CNG tractors to meet its haul requirements and upgrading its fueling facility.

• Saddle Creek worked with Freightliner and Hexagon Agility to spec CNG tractors to its specific range requirements
• Saddle Creek completed a $1.5 million upgrade to the fueling facility at its Lakeland, Florida headquarters, increasing the availability of more efficient time-fill stations.

CNG Saves Money

Saddle Creek Logistics Services owns America's largest fleet of for-hire energy-efficient trucks. Saddle Creek’s environmentally friendly fleet serves the US Southeast and Southwest with operations in Lakeland and Jacksonville, Florida; Atlanta and Valdosta, Georgia; and Fort Worth, Texas. Trucks in its fleet utilize wheel covers and perforated mud flaps to improve aerodynamics, satellite monitoring to maximize fleet utilization, lightweight construction, wind-skirts, and auto-inflating tires. These features, along with Saddle Creek's switch to compressed natural gas (CNG), led to significant cost savings because the cost of CNG is lower and more stable than diesel. With over 200 years of supply in North America, natural gas is plentiful and less susceptible than diesel to swings in fuel prices and surcharges.
Saddle Creek invested heavily in CNG and understands it is not just an investment for the environment. “Our investment in CNG has enabled us to stabilize fuel costs while reducing our environmental footprint. The 50-million-mile mark is a significant milestone for our CNG program,” said Mike DelBovo, President of Saddle Creek. In addition, Saddle Creek invested $1.5 million upgrading its fueling facility in Lakeland, Florida, which increased the availability of more efficient time-fill stations and allowed for smart overnight refueling. With Saddle Creek’s customized fleet having large-capacity CNG fuel storage systems from Agility Fuel Solutions, trucks fill up efficiently and less often, as they have a range in excess of 600 miles.