UPS has purchased 68 large, low-emission tractor trailers for its Houston-Galveston fleet, which should reduced Nitrous Oxide (NOx) emissions by approximately 48 tons annually.

Supplemental funding from Houston-Galveston Area Council’s (H-GAC) Clean Cities/Clean Vehicles program allowed UPS to replace a like number of big tractor rigs with environmentally friendly alternatives even though the original tractors weren’t old enough for retirement. By converting the 68, UPS is helping the Houston-Galveston region work toward the Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality standards.

Since 2002, the Clean Cities/Clean Vehicles program has allocated more than $20 million for projects to reduce vehicle emissions and build necessary fueling infrastructure. These projects alone reduce about 480 tons of NOx from the region’s air each year. In an effort to improve the region’s air quality, the program continues to seek partnerships with fleet owners and operators in the region.