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FreshDirect's Fleet Goes Biodiesel — Brooklynian

FreshDirect's Fleet Goes Biodiesel

guvna
guvna
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights

Subject: FreshDirect's Fleet Goes Biodiesel

FreshDirect's Fleet Goes Biodiesel

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/progressivegrocer/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003686595

DECEMBER 18, 2007 -- LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. - Online food seller FreshDirect here said it will begin converting its 150-vehicle delivery fleet to biodiesel next month.

The retailer said yesterday it has signed a contract with Tri-State Biodiesel to begin conversion to biodiesel fueling in early January. The fleet will switch to B5, a blend of 5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent regular diesel. By February, the company plans to use B5 in its entire fleet.


Tri-State will supply the biodiesel blend, Fresh Direct said.

The retail food e-commerce specialist said it has been donating cooking oil from its kitchen to be used in Tri-State's non-toxic diesel fuel.

"Our trucks are a mass transit system for food in the communities we serve, and we are committed to make the fleet run as clean-burning and low- impact as possible," said Adrian Williams, FreshDirect's s.v.p. of transportation. "Our conversion to biodiesel is but one example of our company's environmental stewardship and support of a sustainable future for New York."

FreshDirect will also begin testing idling reduction technologies to allow truck engines to be turned off automatically after three minutes during loading and delivery. While FreshDirect strictly prohibits drivers from idling, this new functionality enforces compliance. By the end of the year 10 percent of FreshDirect's trucks will be running this technology.

"While both programs are in the pilot phase, we continue to improve on these environmental initiatives," said Williams. "These commitments demonstrate just a few of the ways we're working to make FreshDirect a sustainable company and a good neighbor within our community."

Founded in 1999, FreshDirect is one of the nation's leading online meals and fresh food manufacturing and delivery companies, currently serving most of Manhattan and parts of Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, New York; Westchester, and Nassau Countyin New York; and parts of New Jersey

Comments

  • pitu
    pitu
    that's fantastic
    :D
    I don't use Fresh Direct, but I sure see their trucks around . . . and will now officially hate them a lot less.
    (dying to know if they will smell like french fries . . .)
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    they also sent an email recently saying that they were going to start using plastic boxes that they'd reuse, instead of endless cardboard that is recycled (which is nice and all but recycling still generates more waste than reusing).
  • fjord
    fjord
    Kudos to Fresh Direct for implementing biodiesel in its truck fleet (and the move to using reusable plastic boxes over cardboard).

    While B5 is certainly better than straight diesel, it's still only 5% biofuel. I know that production on B20 (20% biofuel, 80% diesel) has been ramped up in the area, but is it possible that there is simply not enough to meet Fresh Direct's demands? The press release mentions nothing, just the 5% thing. I hope someone on the FD team is looking into this.
  • easternpkwyq
    easternpkwyq
    I suspect the issue may be warranties on their trucks. I know in my professional life we use generators a great deal and we'd like to use a high percentage (or pure) biodiesel in our generators, but the manufacturers take them out of warranty if you use anything greater than a certain percentage in them. Hopefully as more companies such as Fresh Direct go in this direction, the manufacturers will follow suit and loosen their restrictions on what can be used while under warranty.

    This may seem to be a petty reason but when you're talking a tremendous amount in increased maintenance costs, it's a big deal.
  • fjord
    fjord
    Gotcha EasternPkwyQ...

    As someone who has burned thousands of gallons of diesel over the past three years, I am now recalling that, even though the gennys and other diesel engines can run on B20 with virtually no modifications (i am simplifying as its not essential to thread), a problem can lead to a nullified warranty....
  • kevin_on_putnam
    kevin_on_putnam
    Does this mean the trucks will smell like french fries now?
  • innocent x
    innocent x
    Yeah, these guys are great:

    http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0751,robbins,78671,2.html
  • pitu
    pitu
    Time to withdraw all the love
    http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/pressure-mounts-as-freshdirect-turmoil-rises/
    December 21, 2007, 11:48 am
    Pressure Mounts as FreshDirect Turmoil Rises

    By Sewell Chan

    Several leading public officials — including the city comptroller, William C. Thompson Jr., the City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, and the Manhattan borough president, Scott M. Stringer — gathered on the steps of City Hall this morning for a rally to protest the departure of immigrant workers from FreshDirect, the online grocery delivery service based in Queens.

    The rally, organized by the New York City Central Labor Council of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., is the latest volley in a mounting protest against the company, which forced out at least 100 workers this month in advance of a unionization election and a review by federal immigration authorities.

    Today, Mr. Thompson and United States Representative Nydia M. Velázquez, who represents parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, sent a letter to Julie L. Meyers, the assistant secretary of Homeland Security who oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They accused the agency of interfering with the unionization drive and demanding that the agency hold off on the review.
    much MUCH more on the link
  • pitu
    pitu
    Innocent X wrote: Yeah, these guys are great:

    http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0751,robbins,78671,2.html
    Panic at FreshDirect
    A unionizing battle and a hunt for illegal immigrants collide
    by Tom Robbins
    December 18th, 2007 6:24 PM

    You'd figure it was hard enough already hauling boxes around in a massive, cold warehouse on the midnight-to–8 a.m. shift on the weekend for slightly better than minimum wage. But things got infinitely tougher on Sunday, December 9, for some 900 workers at the FreshDirect food plant in Long Island City.

    It was around 3 a.m. that a notice appeared on the company bulletin board, announcing that employees had to produce new proof showing that they were legal residents. Many of the workers are immigrants, a fact that was no secret to the company, which has prospered hugely thanks to their hard work since it opened its doors in 2002. It shouldn't have been a secret to the government, either. Just stand by the G-train stop at 21st Street any morning and watch the men and women rushing past. There is not a lot of English spoken here.
  • rainbowpromises
    rainbowpromises
    It seems like they were just giving the employees a heads-up that some shit might be going down. Nothing wrong with that. I recently came from Florida, and when the inspectors rolled in to warehouses and factories, many illegals were sent packing back home. Doesn't seem too awful that they let everyone know they were under scrutiny.
  • rainbowpromises
    rainbowpromises
    It seems like they were just giving the employees a heads-up that some shit might be going down. Nothing wrong with that. I recently came from Florida, and when the inspectors rolled in to warehouses and factories, many illegals were sent packing back home. Doesn't seem too awful that they let everyone know they were under scrutiny.
  • guvna
    guvna
    rainbowpromises wrote: It seems like they were just giving the employees a heads-up that some shit might be going down. Nothing wrong with that. I recently came from Florida, and when the inspectors rolled in to warehouses and factories, many illegals were sent packing back home. Doesn't seem too awful that they let everyone know they were under scrutiny.
    Agreed. Would it be better to stay silent and let the employees be taken into custody and deported? I dont think so.

    As for the union issues, the employees voted for local 348, so why are folks attacking FreshDirect? I dont know too many employers that want a union, so that shouldnt be the basis to bash them. Also, it is lawful for an employer to state a preferrence for one union over the other.

    The fact that the other two unions cannot resolve their conflict with eachother says a lot more about why neither is enjoying any success in organizing the pickers than anything FreshDirect or the feds are doing.
  • meredithb
    meredithb
    Does this mean the trucks won't double-park just to deliver you some groceries? Doubtful.
  • guvna
    guvna
    MeredithB wrote: Does this mean the trucks won't double-park just to deliver you some groceries? Doubtful.
    I hope you feel the same about Fedex and UPS delivering your precious packages . . .
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