September 4, 2023. Twelve new CNG-powered trucks will serve Chevron operations in San Joaquin Valley, California, carrying salt used to process water for steam generation.
The new vehicles are owned and operated by Mashburn Transportation. This family- and woman-owned company has provided hauling services for Chevron for at least a decade.
“These are just our first 12 units. We’re definitely testing them, but if all things go well and our estimates are pretty accurate, then we’ll probably continue to transition the rest of the fleet over,” Dwight Mashburn, General Manager, Mashburn Transportation, said.
CNG releases fewer carbon emissions than standard gasoline or diesel. It can be made from renewable natural gas (RNG), which can provide more benefits by helping to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels.
Why not go with electric or hydrogen trucks? The simple answer is CNG was the lower carbon alternative most capable of meeting Mashburn’s needs.
The company needed trucks that could travel between 350 and 550 miles a day. Mashburn is also paid by weight for some of its cargo. Extra weight on a truck can limit the amount of product it can carry and still stay within road weight limits.
CNG trucks are lighter than electric trucks—about 2,000 pounds heavier than standard diesel trucks—and they can travel up to 500 miles per day.