The City of Orlando Completes its Fleet of 29 Automated Side Loader Refuse Trucks Featuring Parker´s RunWise® System

Parker Hannifin Corporation, the global leader in motion and control technologies, announced that the City of Orlando, Fla., launched 10 new Autocar E3™ hybrid refuse trucks featuring Parker’s fuel-saving RunWise Advanced Series Hybrid Drive System.

The newly launched trucks complete plans to expand the fleet to 29 total. With three years of repeat orders, the City of Orlando has remained committed to saving taxpayers money through efficient technology that reduces fuel consumption up to 50 percent.

With more than four million miles of operation, the RunWise-equipped refuse trucks capture more than 71 percent of a vehicle’s otherwise lost braking energy, which can save up to 4,300 gallons of fuel per year, per truck.

“The City of Orlando’s fleet of automated side loader refuse trucks featuring our RunWise system, proves that the technology works and continues to cut costs and reduce emissions for the city,” said Shane Terblanche, general manager, hybrid drive systems at Parker Hannifin. “Starting with just four trucks about three years ago, we are encouraged by the feedback from the City of Orlando which indicates nearly an average of 48 percent fuel savings, reduced brake changes and increased productivity.”

The RunWise hybrid drive system increases productivity and reduces downtime by accumulating energy from the vehicle’s braking system to power the truck each time it accelerates. In the City of Orlando, they were able to reduce brake maintenance from two changes per year to just one anticipated change over 10 years of regular service. They also saw increased productivity with drivers returning back to the depot 10-15 percent faster than those servicing comparable routes with traditional refuse trucks. In addition, RunWise’s unique advanced series drive system is the only offering on the market that reduces noise pollution and emissions.

A case study on the Annual Cost Avoidance for the City of Orlando’s first nine RunWise trucks was performed using telematics and data collected from their fleet. The City of Orlando launched its first four units in December 2013, the next five in February 2014, which the below case study is based upon.

Estimated annual brake savings: $12,000/truck

Estimated annual fuel savings: $10,000/truck

Estimated annual productivity savings: $9,000 

Estimated cost avoidance over 10 year period: $2.8 million for the initial nine hybrid trucks compared to the equivalent truck.

The Autocar® E3™ equipped with RunWise technology is also available to waste management companies on a rent-to-own basis through Big Truck Rental. With trucks in 30 cities across the U.S., RunWise is the nation’s leader in hydraulic hybrid technology. The RunWise version of the Autocar refuse trucks operate in Orlando and several other municipalities around the country, including Miami-Dade County, Fla., Sacramento, Calif., Tacoma, Wash, Houston and Austin, Texas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

For additional information on Parker’s hydraulic hybrid drive technology, visit http://parkerhybrid.parker.com