Ryder Opens Two Natural Gas Fueling Stations in California

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R), a leader in commercial transportation and supply chain management solutions, announced today that it has opened the first natural gas fueling stations in its North American network to serve both the general public and Ryder lease and rental customers. The Liquefied to Compressed Natural Gas (LCNG) stations are located at two of Ryder’s maintenance and fueling facilities in Orange, California and Fontana, California – two key facilities serving the Southern California region. The two facilities are part of a larger project which will displace more than 1.5 million gallons of diesel annually with 100 percent domestically produced low-carbon natural gas.

“The completion of these two LCNG fueling stations is a critical milestone demonstrating Ryder’s commitment to the deployment of alternative fuel vehicles,” stated Robert Sanchez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Ryder. “As a provider of full service lease, commercial rental fleet, and third party logistics services, our business model puts us in a unique position to enable more fleets to convert to natural gas and realize the benefits of this cost-effective, clean, and domestic energy source. We are proud to make this investment in fueling infrastructure, which will further support the wider adoption of natural gas vehicles for commercial transportation.”

Each Ryder fueling location has three pumps – two Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and one Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Ryder’s contractual customers will be able to access the LNG and CNG pump areas of Ryder’s facilities specifically configured for large commercial vehicles. Passenger vehicles and light duty trucks will also be able to access CNG pumps in a separate area easily accessible to the general public.

Stations built to LCNG specifications are considered the “gold standard” in natural gas fueling. LCNG stations rely on LNG delivered via tanker trailers. As a cryogenic liquid, and due to the extremely cold temperatures of liquefied natural gas, LNG is stored on-site in specially insulated cryogenic tanks. The liquid is then either dispensed as an on-highway fuel for LNG vehicles, or warmed, vaporized, and compressed for fueling of CNG vehicles. Not only does this process produce the cleanest CNG fuel, it also keeps the fuel colder and therefore results in a better fill and faster dispensing – both crucial for efficient fueling and operation of commercial fleet applications.

The opening of these stations, located at 1440 N. Main Street, Orange, CA 92867 and at 10641 Almond Ave., Fontana, CA 92337, is the culmination of a commitment under the Ryder/SANBAG Natural Gas Vehicle project, a $38.7 million project funded as part of a joint public/private industry partnership between the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG), the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, and Ryder. The Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) also provided $350,000 toward the new fueling stations in the form of grants. In addition to the fuel stations, the Ryder/SANBAG project included upgrades to three Ryder maintenance facilities – in Rancho Dominguez, Orange, and Fontana – as well as the deployment of 202 heavy-duty natural gas vehicles in the region.

Ryder has deployed more than 300 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vehicles into the fleets of more than 40 Ryder customers in California, Michigan, Arizona, and Louisiana. For more information about how Ryder innovates for the environment, read our Corporate Sustainability Report.

About Ryder

Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial transportation, logistics and supply chain management solutions company. Ryder’s stock (NYSE:R) is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Ryder has been ranked three years in a row as one of the top 250 U.S. companies in the Newsweek Green Rankings. Ryder is a charter member of the NGV Fleet Forum and a member of the Department of Energy’s National Clean Fleets partnership. Ryder is also a recipient of the 2011 NGV Achievement Award and has been recognized by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index. A member of the American Red Cross Disaster Responder Program, Ryder is proud to support national and local disaster preparedness and response efforts. For more information, visit www.ryder.com and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

About SANBAG

SANBAG is the council of governments and transportation planning agency for San Bernardino County. SANBAG is responsible for cooperative regional planning and furthering an efficient multi-modal transportation system countywide. SANBAG serves the two million residents of San Bernardino County. SANBAG supports freeway construction projects, regional and local road improvements, commuter rail and bus transit, freeway service patrol, ridesharing and congestion management efforts. SANBAG administers Measure I, the half-cent transportation sales tax approved by county voters in 1989 and again in 2004. For more information on SANBAG, visit www.sanbag.ca.gov.

About SCAG

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the nation's largest metropolitan planning organization, representing six counties, 190 cities and more than 19 million residents. SCAG undertakes a variety of planning and policy initiatives to encourage a more sustainable Southern California now and in the future. For more information about SCAG projects, plans, services and initiatives, visit www.scag.ca.gov.

About MSRC

The Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) was formed in 1990 when Assembly Bill AB 2766 was signed into law authorizing a $4 motor vehicle registration fee. Thirty percent of the $4 fee or approximately $12 million annually is used for programs administered by the MSRC. All of the programs eligible for funding must reduce air pollution from mobile sources. Membership of the MSRC is made up of representatives from the transportation agencies of Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange County, as well as the Southern California Association of Governments, Southern California Rideshare, California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. For more information about MSRC, visit www.cleantransportationfunding.org/.