Think good old fashioned American ingenuity is the key to solving the “earth problem” while maintaining your necessary level of 21st century comfort? The city of Champaign shares your faith in Progress, and is feeling pretty damn good about itself, rolling out its brand spanking new hybrid engine bucket truck, Peterbilt Model 335, the very first municipal deployment of its kind in the state of Illinois.
The Champaign Public Works Department currently operates a fleet of four bucket trucks, one of which will be replaced by the new hybrid model. The city touts the hybrid’s reduced emissions and quieter operation, a great comfort for those concerned with all manners of pollution involved in a 6:30 a.m. tree removal. Hybrid technology reduces idling by up to 80%, dramatically increasing the fuel efficiency of a vehicle which spends much of its day stationary, requiring power primarily for the operation of the aerial lift. Additionally, savings of between $12,495 and $102,804 are projected over the lifespan of the truck, depending on the price of fuel.
Champaign has plans to replace another truck in the fleet in the near future, but will do so with a slightly less state of the art all-diesel-all-the-time model. Subsequent purchases will depend on the performance of the hybrid. Bold yet practical. Visionary while still embracing our common combustion engine heritage. Commendations all around!
