Bourne's Fuel Service Driver Craig Reynolds delivers home heating fuel using the company's new Hybrid Biodeisel fuel oil delivery truck, the first of it's kind in the Northeast, Monday, Dec. 14, in Waterbury, Vt. (Vermont Daily News/Alden Pellett)

 
Waterbury, Vt. – Vermont has the first hybrid fuel and gas delivery trucks to arrive in the Northeast is use at Bourne’s Energy in Waterbury.

The Vermont firm began using its two new hybrid electric biodeisel-powered vehicles,  RydeGreen Ryder trucks to deliver gas and fuel oil to customers about two weeks ago.  Cynthia and Ernest Wheeler in Moretown, Vt. were the first to have the shiny new truck quietly deliver heating oil.

Bourne’s delivery driver Craig Reynolds extolled the fuel savings of the new hybrid fuel oil delivery rig. “I’ve only filled it twice in two weeks. Normally I’d have filled it twice a week.”  Although Reynolds admits it hasn’t been as cold so delivery travel is down but the truck is expected to save enough fuel cost to equal the additional cost of the new greener technology. The company is hoping for even more savings but won’t know until later in the winter.  Other benifits are further reduced emissions as well as operating quieter much of the time.

Reynolds demonstrated how the system works.  Normally when a driver arrives at a home for delivery the truck is left running to power the fuel pump. Now, the driver shuts off the engine. Once the hose has been hauled to the fuel pipe on the side of the home or building, the driver activates the electric pump on the truck using a remote handheld switch. Reynolds wore the switch on his belt and merely reached down and pressed a button.  As the fuel is pumped, power is drawn off the battery bank on the truck. The truck engine is still silent, just the pump motor is whirring away.  Should the battery power run low, the truck will then automatically start to add enough power. 

 Due to Bourne’s commitment to greening up their operations which already used Biodeisel trucks for delivery, they also are  the first fuel company in Vermont to be accepted into the Vermont Business Environmental Partnership. Businesses accepted into the partnership must meet 8 criteria promoting reuse, recycling, resource conservation, as well as waste and pollution prevention.

The new Ryder trucks reduced emissions are especially meaningful in neighborhood areas. Ryder worked with the manufacturer to offer one of the first home heating fuel/hazmat applications for hybrid delivery trucks.

-Vermont Daily News staff report

Bourne's Fuel Service Driver Craig Reynolds reels back in the hose on Bourne's Energy's new Hybrid Biodeisel fuel oil delivery truck on Main Street in Waterbury, Vt. Monday, Dec. 14.(Vermont Daily News/Alden Pellett)