Urgent Couriers experiences instant fuel savings

Urgent Couriers experiences instant fuel savings after switching to Bridgestone Ecopia tyres
carboNZeroCertTM certified tyres allow couriers to achieve monthly savings equivalent to a full tank of fuel and reduce their corporation’s need to offset carbon footprint

AUCKLAND – Monday November 19th, 2012- In June this year, selected vehicles within the Urgent Courier vehicle fleet were fitted with Bridgestone’s low rolling resistance and carboNZero certified tyres, Ecopia EP100. In the freight logistics industry where fuel consumption is the biggest cost and the greatest environmental impactor, the opportunity to save both money and offset the corporation’s carbon footprint is remarkable.

Since its launch in 2009, Ecopia has set the benchmark for low-rolling resistance tyres, delivering class-leading levels of vehicle fuel efficiency resulting in lower CO2 emissions. The Honda Jazz courier vehicles were measured over the course of the introduction to the tyres to determine potential cost savings and the return on investment.

“Each of our vehicles covers between 2,000 and 5,000 kilometres of Auckland streets every month,” says Steve Bonnici, Managing Director for Urgent Couriers. “The numbers are quite stunning – three of the vehicles showed huge savings on their fuel litres used per 100Km – 3.9%, 4.6% and 5.1%. You must take into account that this is based solely on the change in tyres – no change in driver behaviour. Our drivers spend an average of $800 a month on fuel, which means outfitting a car with Ecopia tyres works out to a free fill every month.”

Both Bridgestone and Urgent Couriers are carboNZero certified through Landcare Research’s ground-breaking carbon neutral certification programme. Ecopia EP100 tyres, the world’s first carboNZero certified tyre, have been shown in testing environments to achieve fuel savings of up to 5.7%, depending on driving conditions.

“Anything we can do to reduce the number of litres of fuel used, reduces the need to offset. This positive payback affects the company’s bottom line. Even though our drivers pay for their own fuel, there are huge savings to the company, as well,” explains Bonnici. “We offset their carbon footprint with carbon credits every year. If our whole fleet switched to Ecopia tyres and saved an average of 5% that would equate to 50 tonnes less carbon we’d have to offset annually.”

Saving comparisons
Vehicle A Tyres fitted: 175/65R15 EP100 Total KMs Total Ltrs L/100km
Previous Tyres Period: 28/02/2012 - 30/04/2012 11,093 1,051.90 9.48 Diff %age Diff
New Tyres Period: 01/06/2012 - 14/09/2012 21,404 1,953.69 9.13 0.35 3.9%

Vehicle B Tyres fitted: 175/65R14 EP100 Total KMs Total Ltrs L/100km
Previous Tyres Period 24/02/2012 - 15/08/2012 41,439 2,913.12 7.03 Diff %age Diff
New Tyres Period 18/08/2012 - 17/09/2012 6,730 452.23 6.72 0.31 4.6%

Vehicle C Tyres fitted: 175/65R15 EP100 Total KMs Total Ltrs L/100km
Previous Tyres Period 01/03/2012 - 27/06/2012 23,351 1,901.06 8.14 Diff %age Diff
New Tyres Period 28/06/2012 - 17/09/2012 17,455 1,351.84 7.74 0.40 5.1%

About Bridgestone New Zealand Limited
Bridgestone New Zealand Limited was formed in September 1998, following the merger of two of the world’s premier tyre companies: Bridgestone and Firestone. Today the Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s leading tyre manufacturer, supplying quality tyres for cars, trucks, buses, construction and mining vehicles, industrial machinery, agricultural machinery, aircraft, motorcycles and others. In New Zealand, Bridgestone, Firestone and Supercat branded tyres are available throughout the country at a number of retailers, including Firestone, Bridgestone Select, Bridgestone Firestone Commercial, Bridgestone Truck Centre, Bridgestone Tyre Centre and other Bridgestone stockists. These retailers also provide a comprehensive range of tyre-related services. Bridgestone New Zealand Limited has been awarded the internationally recognised carboNZero certification since 2010.
www.bridgestone.co.nz
About Urgent Couriers
Urgent Couriers is one of the largest specialised, on-demand courier services in New Zealand. Founded in 1989 by managing director Steve Bonnici, it has 25 % of the Auckland fast-delivery courier market. Urgent Couriers employs 20 staff and has 80 courier contractors. The company’s catch phrase is: ‘faster, smarter, greener.’ Urgent Couriers has been awarded the internationally recognised carboNZero certification since 2007.
www.urgentcouriers.co.nz
About carboNZero Holdings Limited
Based in Christchurch and Auckland, New Zealand, carboNZero Holdings provides robust tools for individuals, organisations and events with internationally recognised standards in carbon management for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or carbon footprint. carboNZero Holdings helps its clients achieve their environmental objectives with the highest level of integrity by ensuring consistency of emissions measurement, credibility of reduction and offsetting activity, and assurance of market claims. The company was established in 2001 by Landcare Research New Zealand Limited, one of New Zealand’s leading Crown Research Institutes, owned by the New Zealand government. carboNZero Holdings draws on over a decade of research on climate change, GHG measurement, and carbon monitoring.
www.carbonzero.co.nz.
ENDS

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