First CNG Refuse Trucks in Turkey
Bolu municipality in Turkey’s north has become the first in the country to adopt Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuse trucks, resulting in environment-friendly waste collection service. The municipality has been evaluating Iveco Stralis CNG refuse trucks equipped with Allison 3000 Series™ fully automatic transmissions for three years and released the results earlier this week.
CNG is growing especially popular among municipal and public service providers around the world; it stands out as being an economical and environmentally-friendly solution, providing lower costs and fewer emissions, as well as up to 30 percent reduction in noise pollution. According to Bolu Mayor Alaaddin Yılmaz, the city prefers CNG vehicles which burn 90 percent cleaner than diesel vehicles and offer fuel economy gains. “We aim to maintain our refuse fleet with environmentally-friendly solutions like CNG trucks.”
“Allison fully automatic transmissions support CNG engines, increasing their performance,” said Yılmaz. “The torque converter easily transmits power to the wheels by multiplying the torque of CNG engines. Therefore, we can move faster even in our frequent stop-start operations.”
Yilmaz said the Bolu municipality has become a model for deployment of CNG refuse trucks, adding they are 60 to 70 percent more economical than diesel-powered vehicles, and 40 to 50 percent more economical than liquefied natural gas (LNG). Additionally, a 25 percent decrease in carbon dioxide emissions and quiet, vibration free operation are benefits to the local population.
According to ÖmerFarukErkoç, director of support services for Bolu municipality, each CNG refuse truck collects approximately 19 tons of residential waste, traveling about 90 kilometers (55 miles) daily. For 8 to 9 hours a day, 6 days in a week, the back-loading trucks with hydraulic compactors have been increasing efficiency for the municipality while covering about 30,000 kilometers (18,650 miles) annually.
“One of the most important advantages Allison fully automatic transmissions deliver for us is faster and more dependable refuse collection,” said Erkoç. Other advantages include minimized driver-based breakdowns and reduces maintenance and repair costs. Furthermore, “The Allison torque converter provides a unique start-up by nearly doubling the engine’s torque and the transmission continuously transmits power to the drive wheels, even during shifting,” Erkoç added.
https://www.ngvglobal.com/blog/first-cng-refuse-trucks-in-turkey-0121