In recent times, our carbon footprint has become more and more important. As such, there has been a significant increase in demand for electric vehicles, especially passenger vehicles. However, the demand for electric garbage trucks is also growing.
Garbage trucks are some of the biggest pollutants on the road today, but how bad is the impact? This article will focus on your truck’s carbon footprint and what you can do to reduce it without negatively impacting your profits.
Why Are Garbage Trucks Large Polluters?
Large Volumes of Trash
The first factor that influences a truck’s carbon footprint is due to how much material there is that needs to be disposed of and processed. In total, it is estimated that more than 130,000 garbage and recycling trucks are in circulation to handle the volume of trash that needs to get disposed of.
Given how many garbage trucks are on the road, it is no surprise that they are deemed as a large polluter.
Specialized Equipment
Another important aspect that will impact the carbon footprint of your garbage truck is that it requires specialized equipment, which makes it heavier than a similar-sized truck that is not used for garbage disposal.
On top of this, if you own a short-haul truck, it is likely that you are often stopping and going during your route, resulting in a lot of additional fuel getting burned and the truck getting heavier as the material is collected. On average, a short-haul garbage truck can do less than five miles per gallon, making it an extremely expensive purchase. At Big Truck Rental, we ensure that all trucks are as fuel-efficient as possible.
Garbage Trucks Can Be Noisy
Another carbon footprint factor is that many garbage trucks use diesel engines, which are renowned for being noisy and smelly. One of the reasons garbage trucks contribute so much noise pollution is due to how frequently they stop. A garbage truck can have as much as 20 times more carbon emissions than an average US household.
In recent years, there has been a push towards electric garbage trucks, as they are better concerning air quality and much quieter.
How Much Will Electric Garbage Trucks Cost?
Electrical trucks are still extremely expensive, almost double the cost of a diesel garbage truck. This price tag makes it extremely challenging for garbage truck owners to make the switch.
Over the coming years, electric garbage trucks will become more common and cheaper to purchase as technology advances. However, until they become better value for the money, renting high-quality garbage trucks may be the best way to grow your fleet and maximize ROI.
At Big Truck Rental, our short- and long-term garbage truck rental programs are flexible to fit your needs, as fuel efficient and emissions efficient as possible, and offer you complete control over growing or shrinking your fleet. Be sure to get in touch for a quote.
