May 01, 2009 09:39 ET
ADDING MULTIMEDIA Oncor Unveils Hybrid-Powered Bucket Trucks, Texas-friendly Web Site
Better Texas trucks and site to showcase small changes with a big
impact
DALLAS --(Business Wire)-- May 01, 2009
Oncor is adding two new hybrid-powered bucket trucks to its fleet,
coinciding with the launch of a new Web site, www.BetterTexas.com,
to highlight small changes the company has implemented that can add up
to a big difference. The site also provides tips for how Texans can make
their own small changes for a better Texas.
Oncor’s decision to add the hybrid-powered bucket trucks comes as a
result of its participation in a 2006 trial of the hybrid trucks in the
field, organized by the non-profit organization CALSTART (www.calstart.org).
Oncor was one of 14 utilities included in the trial, the results of
which were very positive. The trial proved that the hybrid-powered
bucket trucks, which alternate between diesel fuel and battery power to
operate, get up to 60 percent in fuel savings, of which one-third comes
from driving with the rest of the savings occurring at the job site as
the hybrid system works the bucket or aerial device of the truck. The
fuel savings Oncor receives from these hybrids help save the environment
by using less fuel, a non-renewable resource.
Other pluses include less maintenance, less noise from the trucks at job
sites and reduced emissions. Emissions are by-products of driving and
are considered very bad for the environment. The hybrid-powered bucket
truck emits less of these while driving, making it better for the
environment and Texas air.
On Friday, May 1, the trucks will hit the field, with one heading to
work in Waco and the other to Fort Worth. Both are wrapped in Texas
flag-inspired artwork, with “Hybrid Truck” and “Small Changes. Better
Texas.” marked on both sides of each truck.
“We wrapped the trucks so that when people see them working in their
neighborhood, they will know that these are hybrids and will recognize
that these trucks have a positive impact on Texas,” Brenda Jackson,
Oncor Senior Vice President of Business Operations, said. “We hope that
they will know that Oncor cares about this state and will be inspired to
make their own changes to make Texas better.”
Also on the truck is the Web address of Oncor’s new Web site, www.BetterTexas.com.
The site highlights the reasons Oncor decided to “go hybrid,” as well as
outlining other steps Oncor is taking to make Texas a better place and
giving tips for consumers to follow.
The changes outlined on the site include electrical energy-efficiency
tips, like turning off lights when leaving a room and adjusting the
thermostat. Other changes are also included that make this state a
better place for Texans to live in, like donating old clothes to
charities to help the needy or turning off the water faucet when
brushing your teeth to conserve water.
“We believe that every small change we can make as a company can add up
to making a big difference for our state,” Jackson said. “The Better
Texas web site is not only a way for us to showcase these small changes
we’re making, but it is also a way for us to encourage other Texans to
do the same. Imagine the positive impact on Texas if everyone took a few
minutes to make just one change.”
Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (“Oncor”) is a regulated electric
distribution and transmission business that uses superior asset
management skills to provide reliable electricity delivery to consumers.
Oncor operates the largest distribution and transmission system in
Texas, delivering power to approximately 3 million homes and businesses
and operating approximately 117,000 miles of transmission and
distribution lines in Texas. While Oncor is owned by a limited number of
investors (including majority owner, Energy Future Holdings Corp.),
Oncor is managed by its Board of Directors, which is comprised of a
majority of independent directors.
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Oncor Communications
Megan Wright, 972-791-6200