Last Updated: October 3, 2006

The Hybrid Refuse Truck Working Group currently consists of six active user fleets (including municipal and private fleets) representing more than 20% of the North American refuse industry. The group is led by industry chair Matthew Stewart of City of Chicago.

The group has developed specifications for a common class 8 hybrid refuse truck chassis intended to be compatible with multiple types of refuse truck bodies. The group is “technology neutral” and has developed performance-based specifications independent of any particular hybrid drive system technology (e.g. hybrid-electric or hydraulic hybrid). The group has also developed a list of Key Performance Parameters (KPPs) that identify the most critical user requirements for hybrid refuse trucks. The group believes that residential solid waste collection vehicles such as automated side loaders (ASLs) and rear end loaders (RELs) represent the best opportunity for hybridization due to their high number of collection stops per route.

The group has been coordinating with the Canadian Hybrid Truck Users Group (CHTUG) Hybrid Refuse Truck Working Group to harmonize hybrid refuse truck chassis specifications between the U.S. and Canada. As a result of this effort, several members of the CHTUG Hybrid Refuse Truck Working Group will join with the HTUF Hybrid Refuse Truck Working Group in a common hybrid refuse truck Request For Information (RFI) to be released in late October, 2006. Along with the RFI, suppliers will receive a draft version of a Hybrid Refuse Truck Request For Proposal (RFP) that suppliers will be invited to provide feedback on. The group hopes to finalize and release an RFP for approximately 15 – 20 hybrid refuse trucks in January, 2007.

The group is also coordinating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support industry development of duty cycles for fuel economy and emissions testing of hybrid refuse trucks.