Inside the small Colorado city with a fully electric garbage truck fleet

00:00:00:18 - 00:00:24:01 

Jay Traugott 

Louisville, Colorado, just made history as the first city in America to run an all electric garbage truck fleet. But how did it happen? And what's it like to actually drive one of these high tech machines? Before we go any further. If you're enjoying clean trucking news and videos, you can get more delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter using the link in the description below. 

00:00:24:03 - 00:00:30:11 

Jay Traugott 

It all started when Louisville began evaluating bids to replace their aging garbage truck fleet. 

00:00:30:14 - 00:00:52:15 

Kurt Kowar 

So Louisville operates a trash fleet through outside services. Outside vendors. Every five years, we competitively bid that contract. And for the past ten years or whatnot, we've had clean natural gas trucks. But for this round of contract bidding, we also asked the market to see if there's electric fleet available for a bid price. And we were able to get one bid. 

00:00:52:15 - 00:00:59:16 

Kurt Kowar 

And our process that was able to offer that through Republic Services. So today we are using an electric fleet. 

00:00:59:19 - 00:01:17:13 

Jay Traugott 

You might expect a cutting edge electric fleet to come with a hefty price tag. But in Louisville, the switch only adds about $5 to each resident's monthly bill. By comparison, running their previous fleet of natural gas trucks cost the city $20 per household. 

00:01:17:15 - 00:01:24:26 

Kurt Kowar 

So for our consumers and for the city's goals, it was kind of a no brainer to go with your electric fleet. 

00:01:24:28 - 00:01:29:02 

Jay Traugott 

Now, what have been some of the feedback so far from the public themselves? What do they have to say? 

00:01:29:03 - 00:01:44:04 

Kurt Kowar 

Sure. The public has been positive. I mean, I think it feels good for people to see an electric, trash truck coming down the road. There's again, there's less noise when the trucks coming through the neighborhood. And then there's also that. Feel good? Doing the right thing for the climate. 

00:01:44:04 - 00:01:44:22 

Jay Traugott 

Absolutely. 

00:01:44:22 - 00:01:46:27 

Kurt Kowar 

So that's kind of been the feedback we've gotten. 

00:01:46:29 - 00:02:13:17 

Jay Traugott 

For most fleets. Transitioning to electric means working closely with utility providers to make sure charging infrastructure can be installed. But in Louisville's case, that challenge never came up. They're all inclusive. Contract with Republic Services meant Republic handled every part of the charging setup. When you were first putting the project together, you had to work with your local utility, which here in Colorado is Xcel Energy. 

00:02:13:19 - 00:02:19:27 

Jay Traugott 

Now, can you walk me through some of the steps with that? When you told them you wanted to switch from natural gas to battery electric? 

00:02:20:00 - 00:02:49:13 

Kurt Kowar 

Yeah. So from the city's perspective, this, we, we hire a vendor to move our trash from A to B or a recycle or compost. So we rely on that vendor to work with Excel. So in our case, Republic Services is who delivers our service with the electric fleet. They had been working with Excel over many years to bring that infrastructure into their facility to be able to provide the, both the charging infrastructure, but then also the supporting electrical infrastructure to move that much current to their area. 

00:02:49:18 - 00:02:58:17 

Jay Traugott 

So basically, Republic Services provides everything from our pricing plan to the trucks to the charging. And that's all the city of Louisville had to do. 

00:02:58:19 - 00:03:12:19 

Kurt Kowar 

Exactly. Louisville's contract is a turnkey contract. So we put out there to provide the service. It's up to the vendor to house their fleet, procure their fleet, provide the fleet within the parameters that we describe. 

00:03:12:22 - 00:03:26:09 

Jay Traugott 

As with any new technology, there are bound to be challenges. But so far, Louisville's electric garbage truck fleet has been operating without a hitch. Have there been any downsides? We're still learning. 

00:03:26:09 - 00:03:45:22 

Kurt Kowar 

So I would say from our perspective, no, we have backup clauses in our contracts that if the electric trucks don't operate properly and they're not on the road for enough time frame, sure. Over the month, like we don't pay the full amount, so we pay a pro-rata. And in the case where maybe electric truck wouldn't work, there's a clean natural gas truck as a backup. 

00:03:45:22 - 00:04:01:14 

Kurt Kowar 

So I said for our contract, no downsides, just for the electric truck performance. I think they're still kind of figuring out some of the cold weather cycles when it's really cold. Nothing that's game changing. I think it's just a normal learning process with any new technology. 

00:04:01:16 - 00:04:26:09 

Jay Traugott 

The electric trucks rolling through Louisville's neighborhoods are McNeal, Volterra XL's three side loaders and one rear loader, replacing the city's four natural gas vehicles. To learn more about how these next generation trucks operate, we spoke with Republic Services, the company responsible for keeping Louisville's waste collection running. It is about six in the morning here in Commerce City, Colorado. 

00:04:26:16 - 00:04:29:06 

Jay Traugott 

And here with me today is Nicholas Sharp. 

00:04:29:07 - 00:04:40:29 

Nicholas Scharrer 

So I'm a supervisor for, residential services here in, Commerce City. I'm in charge of running the operation for Lafayette and Louisville. Louisville is our big city that, you know, took over for the EVs. 

00:04:41:01 - 00:04:59:19 

Jay Traugott 

In Commerce City, Colorado. Republic services operates what's known as a return to base model. Trucks leave each morning for routes and return to the same facility afterward. This model is well suited for electric fleets, since it simplifies charging logistics and allows the trucks to recharge overnight. 

00:04:59:22 - 00:05:16:04 

Nicholas Scharrer 

Right here is the charging port where the access is. It's just like all the other EV vehicles. You can actually use any of the EV chargers that are out there to charge your truck, and you plug it in and they'll hit the button for start charge and then it charges throughout the night. 

00:05:16:06 - 00:05:17:18 

Jay Traugott 

How long does the charge take? 

00:05:17:19 - 00:05:36:07 

Nicholas Scharrer 

We can get a fast charge on it in 20 to 30 minutes. Which brings us up to say, if it's at 40%, we can bring up 80% into, probably about 20 minutes time. So, yeah, driver can run, probably seven hours on the 80%. When he gets back to the yard. He'll probably be right at running. 

00:05:36:13 - 00:05:49:13 

Nicholas Scharrer 

If he was at 80% charge, he'll bring back right at 10%. If he's fully charged when he leaves in the morning, he'll return back to the yard with right around 20 to 30%. And that's on an average of 7 to 10 hour day. 

00:05:49:16 - 00:06:03:06 

Jay Traugott 

The truck stands out for its focus on driver comfort, high tech safety features, and a tight turning radius that's ideal for navigating residential streets and cul de sacs. What are some of the best things that you've heard about? Feedback you've heard from drivers? 

00:06:03:08 - 00:06:22:25 

Nicholas Scharrer 

Comfortability. So, I've been in the industry for 30 years and I wish I had one. The features that some of my drivers are liking the heated seats. Oh, yeah, the seats are no big hit. And not only that, but you're not bouncing around as much as you would be in one of the other trucks, right? I mean, it seems like a driver actually designed it, right? 

00:06:22:25 - 00:06:23:10 

Nicholas Scharrer 

Because. 

00:06:23:10 - 00:06:23:27 

Jay Traugott 

Good point. 

00:06:23:27 - 00:06:25:27 

Nicholas Scharrer 

Yeah, it's really comfortable for him. 

00:06:25:27 - 00:06:43:02 

Jay Traugott 

So to get a firsthand look at how these electric trucks operate on the road, we joined a Republic Services driver on their morning route through Lewisville. All right. So now I'm riding with David, the driver. David, you said you've been working here for a couple of years now. How long you've been driving these, 

00:06:43:04 - 00:06:44:16 

Nicholas Scharrer 

McNeil's, wheelchairs? 

00:06:44:16 - 00:06:45:18 

Jay Traugott 

Yes. 

00:06:45:21 - 00:06:47:18 

David 

Spent a couple months that we've had them. 

00:06:47:20 - 00:06:48:19 

Jay Traugott 

Months? Yeah. 

00:06:48:22 - 00:06:52:08 

Jay Traugott 

Yeah. You did you previously drive the, diesel, natural. 

00:06:52:08 - 00:06:53:19 

Jay Traugott 

Gas powered, 

00:06:53:22 - 00:06:57:01 

David 

Truck. So we got a couple of diesels, and we got some CNG trucks. 

00:06:57:01 - 00:07:03:09 

Jay Traugott 

On your CNG. Yep. What do you think of the battery electric when compared to the, two? Those two? 

00:07:03:11 - 00:07:06:02 

David 

They're a lot quieter and a lot quieter. 

00:07:06:02 - 00:07:12:07 

Jay Traugott 

The battery electric is a lot quieter. Yeah, yeah, the, the windshield is really wide here. 

00:07:12:09 - 00:07:16:21 

David 

You I mean, you can see a lot better out of these as well. 

00:07:16:23 - 00:07:27:22 

Jay Traugott 

As we entered the first neighborhood. David, check the truck's joystick and arm to make sure everything was working properly. Then gave me a walkthrough of the 360 degree camera system. 

00:07:27:24 - 00:07:47:15 

David 

So we got to review where the trash is going to get thrown into the front of you, which is right here on the big windshield. See. The rear view. Yeah. The left side front which is where you're sitting rear on the tailgate. My side right here. Camera on the right side. We're just pretty cool. Yeah. There's very cool. 

00:07:47:17 - 00:07:49:11 

David 

Cameras everywhere all around the truck. 

00:07:49:12 - 00:08:04:00 

Jay Traugott 

With everything checked out and ready to go. David began his route, putting the electric arm to work and emptying the first of many garbage cans. 

00:08:04:03 - 00:08:07:18 

Jay Traugott 

It's a little bumpy in here, but still, it's not loud. Yeah. 

00:08:07:21 - 00:08:11:07 

David 

It's not very dramatic like the other trucks are. 

00:08:11:09 - 00:08:12:05 

Jay Traugott 

Oh, really? Yeah. Where? 

00:08:12:07 - 00:08:33:11 

Jay Traugott 

They cabin's a lot louder. At the end of the route, I asked David what other drivers might appreciate about the electric truck. He pointed out that everything operates faster than on a CNG or diesel model. The arm that whips the cans, the blade in the hopper, and most notably, the acceleration. 

00:08:33:16 - 00:08:43:21 

David 

You can hop on the highway like if you're in your own vehicle, you know, no hesitation, you know, quick and responsive so you can hop on the highway safely, you know, at a fairly decent speed. 

00:08:43:21 - 00:08:47:08 

Jay Traugott 

I can imagine that being kind of challenging. And like the older trucks. Yeah. 

00:08:47:10 - 00:08:52:27 

David 

When they take, you know, ten minutes to get up onto the highway, you know, at a slow speed. 

00:08:52:29 - 00:09:19:08 

Jay Traugott 

With the successful rollout of an all electric fleet, Louisville has set a new standard in sustainable waste collection. This could mark the beginning of a much wider shift across cities nationwide. Granted, Louisville only has four EV garbage trucks for now, which isn't many compared to larger cities. But every city, big and small, must start somewhere if they want cleaner air, less noise and happier drivers and residents. 

00:09:19:10 - 00:09:33:25 

Jay Traugott 

Louisville, Colorado has done exactly that. Thank you all for watching. Be sure to hit the like and subscribe buttons, and please let us know in the comments what types of alternative powered commercial vehicles you want to learn more about. See you all next time.