Meijer Receives Environmentally Friendly Trucks

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer here began taking delivery of the nation's first fleet of U.S. EPA 2010 trucks from Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) that feature near-zero emissions technology.

In total, Meijer has purchased 75 Freightliner Cascadia trucks equipped with DD13 engines that represent a family of new fuel efficient, reduced-emission engines developed by Detroit Diesel in collaboration with the Department of Energy 21st Century Truck Partnership Program.

Meijer's new fleet of Freightliner trucks will dramatically improve fuel efficiency while reducing emissions to near-zero levels of nitrogen oxides. With the delivery of the near-zero emissions trucks, Meijer will operate the largest 2010 EPA emission-compliant fleet in North America.

"We're extremely proud to be the first company in the nation to place an order and take delivery for these 21st century trucks equipped with the BlueTec emissions technology," said Dave Hoover, director of logistics at Meijer. "These trucks speak to our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint in so many different areas of our business. It's also exciting to be partnering with a neighboring Michigan-based company to help stimulate the economy and provide jobs right in our own backyard."

With the introduction of these trucks, Meijer expects to see a 47% reduction in particulate matter, a 55% reduction in nitrous oxide and a 3% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. The Cascadia fleet will reduce CO2 emissions by 9,300 U.S. tons, while virtually eliminating 525 U.S. tons of smog-creating nitrogen oxides from the air.