Westport Launches New Stocking Program to Cut Customer Wait Times

Westport is launching a new stocking program that will see its natural gas vehicles available at select Ford dealerships across the United States. In Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Florida participating dealerships will be stocking a wide range of bi-fuel and dedicated Westport WiNG™ Power System compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles including the Ford F-150, F-250, the all-new Transit Van and the F-59.

“This is a game-changer,” says Paul Shaffer, Westport Dallas vice president and managing director. “The wait time will be cut to as little as a couple of days from placement of order to receipt of vehicle. This allows fleets to take advantage of the benefits of CNG that much quicker.”

Navigating Fuel Transitions and Technological Progress

Karen Hamberg, Westport Vice President of Strategy, has been working in the area of fuel transitions and alternative fuel adoption for over a decade.

In this one-on-one interview, she shares her thoughts on three important questions around fuel transitions, sustainability and leading collaborations evaluating the use of natural gas in transportation.

Join us for this one-on-one session with one of the industry’s leading thinkers as she shares her unique insights on three key questions:

NGVs as Far as the Horizon at DFW Airport

If you’ve ever been to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, chances are you’ve either ridden in or seen a natural gas vehicle (NGV) at work.

The airport operates a total fleet of about 1,000 vehicles and around 450 of those are alternative fuel vehicles.

“We’ve got everything you can think of,” says Robert Heller, vehicle fleet programs manager at the airport.

Robert says the airport was a natural gas pioneer, and started to purchase NGVs 14 years ago because of environmental concerns from emissions and to cut down on fuel costs.

“I’ve been with it from the beginning – it’s been really good,” Robert says.

DFW Airport's fleet includes many different models of natural gas vehicles, including these Westport WiNG™ Power System Ford E-450 Shuttle Buses.

New Westport Transit Van Demo Program Lets Fleets Experience the Benefits of CNG

Drive Now with CNG

Fleets interested in switching to natural gas can take advantage of an all new, free Westport demonstration program, announced at APTA Expo. “Drive Now with CNG,” for fleets interested in the Westport WiNG™ Power System Ford Transit Van, gives the experience and benefits of operating on compressed natural gas (CNG).

“From coast-to-coast, fleets are saving thousands of dollars on their operating costs by taking advantage of lower-cost natural gas,” says Paul Shaffer, Westport Dallas Vice President. “Westport’s new Transit Van demo program will enable companies to see first-hand the benefits of CNG for their business.”

Learn more about how fleets can participate in the demo program during an information session at APTA on October 14, in Room 350F from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. 

Westport Participates in APTA EXPO 2014 with Public Transportation Products

Join Westport, a leader in natural gas engines and vehicles, at the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) EXPO 2014, the premier showcase for innovative public transportation solutions, from October 13 to 15, 2014 in Houston, Texas.

Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) are becoming a growing part of the public transportation market in North America, with cities like Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Denver and Atlanta shifting their bus fleets to run on this cleaner, less expensive, domestic fuel. According to NGVAmerica, there are approximately 11,000 buses currently powered by natural gas in the US and one of four buses on order today will utilize CNG as a transportation fuel.

Westport Unveils the 3.8L LPG/NG Engine at HHP Summit in New Orleans

3.8L Power Unit and 2.4L Genset on Display at Booth #430

Westport’s latest addition to its alternative fuel industrial engines, a 3.8L engine that operates on either liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas (NG), is on display at HHP Summit in Booth #430 from October 6 – 9, 2014. Both of Westport’s two industrial engines can be used in a variety of off road and stationary industrial applications.

Capable of producing 100 kilowatts of power and 347 N-m of torque, the 3.8L engine offers high performance and low emissions using EPA and CARB-certified advanced fuel system technology.

CNG Fleet Strategy Starts at the Top: Laredo Petroleum Transitions to Westport WiNG™ Powered Ford Super Duty Trucks

At Laredo Petroleum, the use of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) starts at the top. Chairman and CEO Randy A. Foutch leads by example and walks the talk. Foutch, who is known for having compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles as his personal vehicles to drive, is also the company’s number one ambassador of the products it produces and sells.

“Our strategy for our fleet operations is a top down approach,” says Luke Duke, procurement agent for Laredo. “Not only do natural gas vehicles use a cleaner burning fuel that costs about $1 per gallon less than petroleum, as an exploration and production (E&P) company, we believe we should be using the products that we produce.”