Ability Tri-Modal Deploys Five Orange EV Electric Yard Trucks to California Distribution Operations

2026-01-26T13:46:16-06:00June 20, 2018|Port Operations|

KANSAS CITY, MO and CARSON, CA, June 20, 2018 - to three of Tri-Modal’s warehousing and distribution facilities, a combined 750,000 square feet of warehouse space close to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.  Continuously seeking versatile solutions and operational excellence, Ability Tri-Modal has deployed the heavy-duty electric trucks to reduce carbon footprint while decreasing costs. “The Orange EV trucks are a solution-based purchase,” said Greg Owen, owner and Head Coach of Ability Tri-Modal. “They’re going to give us a return on investment.” “Ability Tri-Modal is a clear leader and innovator in clean transportation” said Mike Saxton, Orange EV’s Chief Commercial Officer.  “It’s been an honor to work with Greg Owen and his team to put in service the first commercially-deployed, 100% electric Class 8 trucks directly supporting the California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.” Ability Tri-Modal uses ten terminal tractors for yard management, which operate up to 20 hours per day, five days a week.  Said Owen, “The yard truck is the hardest-working piece of equipment in our fleet, and it’s also the most affected by increasingly strict environmental regulation.”  Bob Krug, Maintenance Director for Ability Tri-Modal, added, “With older diesels, wear-and-tear and rough use were the main issues.  With the newer ones, 90% of the problems are related to emissions control technology.” “For the last 12 years or more, we’ve had two or three diesels down at any one time,” Owen stated.  “We needed a solution, and until Orange EV, no one had answers.” In their ongoing search for an economic, reliable alternative to diesel, Tri-Modal began tracking electric yard truck development.  According to Owen, “Initial port demonstration projects were disappointing due to the early technologies.  We then spoke with fleets that have been heavily operating Orange EV trucks for years, proving that Orange EV’s newer technology does the job. These fleets indicate that downtime is minimal, maintenance and fuel costs are reduced, and Orange EV is committed to both their customers and ongoing product development.  Orange EV provides a solution to the increased costs associated with diesel equipment.”  Moderate-use sites report annual savings of $30,000 per Orange EV truck in fuel, maintenance, and emission control related costs; heavier-use sites can save much more. With five electric yard trucks managing trailers at multiple Tri-Modal facilities, Krug concluded, “The Orange EV trucks have been perfect, going above and beyond expectations.  We’ve had no issues and the drivers love them.” The Orange EV deployment is just the latest initiative in Ability Tri-Modal's efforts to “think green” like the Port of Long Beach, operating as efficiently and sustainably as possible.  The company has been honored on multiple occasions by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach for early adaptation to the ports’ Clean Trucks Program, and operates a 100% clean truck fleet, in compliance with rigorous port and state requirements.  Looking to the future, Tri-Modal plans to install solar panels to charge its growing fleet of electric equipment with electricity generated on-site. Ability Tri-Modal utilized funding from the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) to purchase their Orange EV trucks. HVIP is currently open, offering incentive amounts of up to $175,000 per Orange EV terminal truck. specializes in in trans-loading, consolidation and de-consolidation, warehousing, retail delivery, and a variety of value-added services.  With operations in Carson, California and Ladson, South Carolina, Ability Tri-Modal is a proven, award-winning transportation company that is rooted in its devotion to superior customer service.  The company continuously meets and exceeds expectations through highly versatile customer solutions, operational excellence, and results-driven attitude.  Ability Tri-Modal’s motto, “Service Above Self” fuels the passion, innovation, and mission to execute measurable benefits to the customer. Kansas City based terminal trucks, Orange EV was the first and is still the only manufacturer offering 100% electric Class 8 vehicles that have been commercially deployed and re-ordered into container handling operations. { "@context": "", "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "", "url": "", "contentlocation": "US", "name": "Ability Tri-Modal Deploys Five Orange EV Electric Yard Trucks to Carson, California Distribution Operations", "description": "Orange EV yellow tri-modal electric yard truck", "provider": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Orange EV", "url": "", "image": "" } } { "@context": "", "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "", "url": "", "contentlocation": "US", "name": "Ability Tri-Modal Deploys Five Orange EV Electric Yard Trucks to Carson, California Distribution Operations", "description": "Orange EV yellow tri-modal electric yard truck", "provider": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Orange EV", "url": "", "image": "" } }

Sonwil Deploys Orange EV Electric Yard Truck to Buffalo NY Distribution Center

2026-01-26T12:08:39-06:00February 7, 2018|Warehouse & Distribution|

KANSAS CITY, MO and BUFFALO, NY, February 7, 2018 - , today announced the 2017 deployment of Orange EV’s T-Series pure-electric terminal truck to Sonwil’s 300,000 square foot warehouse and distribution center in Buffalo, New York. Replacing diesel with an Orange EV electric yard truck further delivers on Sonwil’s commitment to their customers to provide solutions that increase efficiency, reduce costs, and help achieve sustainability goals. “Sonwil’s philosophy is simple,” said Dave Harper, President of (ITS), Sonwil’s transportation arm. “We put the customer first, continually working to add value, meet the customer’s evolving needs, and strengthen their competitive advantage.” For example, to increase efficiency and sustainability, ITS has worked with key industry partners to design custom trailers, both dry and refrigerated, to haul increased loads. The specialized dry trailers carry over 55% more per load resulting in fewer trips, significantly lower costs, and smaller carbon footprint. “We like to operate on the leading-edge with clean technologies,” continued Harper. “Sonwil was one of the first thousand orders for Class 8 12-liter CNG tractors, and now we’re moving into Class 8 electric. The Orange EV truck is a good fit with our mission, . And compared to the steep learning curve with CNG, the electric yard horse was easy – just plug it in.” . Diesel yard trucks are costly to operate due to fuel expense, maintenance, and emission control requirements; they also pose risks to employee health and safety. Fumes, heat, and dust are a few of Sonwil’s biggest challenges with diesel. Owen Owens, lead has been great. We still have a diesel yard horse here but I prefer the electric, and so do other drivers. It’s a lot quieter and you don’t have exhaust gas emissions. Summer will be great since we won’t be sitting on top of the engine cooking. Plus, we operate on a dirt lot and the diesel kicks up the dust and sucks it into the cab. With the electric, there’s no dust.” The Orange EV truck also performed well in the cold, working through a bitter January with back-to-back days of below-zero temperatures and wind chill of 30+ below. Orange EV’s electric terminal trucks (aka yard trucks, horses, spotters, hostlers, etc.) operate in all segments of the container-handling market including ports, rail intermodal, manufacturing, distribution, parcel, waste transfer, LTL freight, third party logistics, and more. Understanding that each yard is physically and operationally unique, Orange EV delivers site-specific electric vehicle solutions backed by committed engineering and technical support. In early operations with their electric terminal truck, Sonwil faced a unique challenge with the truck/trailer connection. Said Harper, “From the beginning, Orange EV treated the issue with urgency. They were in constant communication, and working together we found a solution.” He concluded, “The Orange EV electric has reduced maintenance, , and we expect to see reduced costs. To other fleets considering electric, I’d say don’t be afraid to dive in – you will be rewarded.” A family-owned and operated logistics solutions firm, . Kansas City based . { "@context": "", "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "", "contentlocation": "United States", "url": "", "name": "Innovative Transportation Services (ITS) with their new Orange EV T-Series pure-electric terminal truck. From left: James Hotnich, Dispatch Manager; Owen Owens, Driver; and Dave Harper, President of ITS.", "description": "Innovative Transportation Services (ITS) with their new Orange EV T-Series pure-electric terminal truck. From left: James Hotnich, Dispatch Manager; Owen Owens, Driver; and Dave Harper, President of ITS.", "provider": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Orange EV", "url": "", "image": "" } }

Anderson DuBose Deploys Orange EV Electric Yard Truck in McDonald’s Distribution Network

2026-01-26T12:08:08-06:00August 30, 2017|Warehouse & Distribution|

KANSAS CITY, MO and ROCHESTER, NY, August 29, 2017 - distribution network. The Orange EV , an important step in the sustainability efforts of both Anderson DuBose and McDonald’s. Anderson DuBose has long been committed to minimizing the company’s environmental impact and utilizes an environmental management system that meets : 2004 Certification. Each year, Anderson DuBose sets aggressive sustainability targets to reduce electricity consumption, diesel fuel usage, and waste-to-landfill. Switching to a 100% electric yard truck significantly reduces the company's carbon footprint while also supporting their customer's vision to "realize a food supply where people, animals and the planet thrive." Moving to electric also provides a better working environment for Anderson DuBose employees with a truck that is . “I’ve heard nothing but great comments from the drivers," said Tom Hank, General Manager of the Anderson DuBose Rochester facility. "Orange EV’s truck is more comfortable and our operators really like the quiet and smooth operation. Management is pleased that we can provide a safer and healthier working environment – the truck has no engine and no emissions." This change also positively impacts its neighbors and broader community. “We appreciate the spirit of partnership and sense of shared-mission the entire Anderson DuBose team has brought to the relationship," noted Mike Saxton, Orange EV's chief commercial officer. The Anderson DuBose Company works closely with the other members of the to identify and share best practices. "Being the first to identify the Orange EV truck and work through the steps to on-board the vehicle enables us to be a resource for the other distributors," commented Tom. "They can visit, observe truck operations, understand our design and business case, and hopefully deploy more trucks throughout the country." Headquartered in Lordstown, Ohio, . Kansas City based . { "@context": "", "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "", "url": "", "contentlocation": "US", "name": "the-anderson-dubose-pure-electric-yard-truck-manufactured-by-orange-ev-300x208.jpg", "description": "The Anderson DuBose pure-electric terminal truck manufactured by Orange EV", "provider": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Orange EV", "url": "", "image": "" } } { "@context": "", "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "", "url": "", "contentlocation": "US", "name": "the-anderson-dubose-pure-electric-yard-truck-manufactured-by-orange-ev-300x208.jpg", "description": "The Anderson DuBose pure-electric terminal truck manufactured by Orange EV", "provider": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Orange EV", "url": "", "image": "" } }

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