Texas isn't exactly high on President Barack Obama's list. The governor fights him at every turn. Republicans win it every presidential election. But a couple of Dallas-area companies got some love today at an event staged to promote clean-energy vehicles.
To push his energy agenda, Obama and his fossil-fueled motorcade headed to suburban Washington -a UPS facility in Landover, Md. -- to look at hybrid and all-electric trucks used by Frito Lay, AT&T, Verizon, UPS and FedEx. The companies represent five of the 10 biggest U.S. fleets.
First stop: a fully electric Frito Lay delivery truck.
"You got some corn chips?" Obama asked, smiling, greeting Steven Hanson, national fleet sustainability manager, and Mike O'Connell, national director fleet operations, both based at company headquarters in Plano.
O'Connell told the president the electric trucks are used on 65- to 70-mile daily routes. The average route is about half that, Hanson said, but this baby is so fuel-efficient, they use it for longer routes to maximize the advantage.
"Our operators love it so far," Hanson said. "...They like the quiet. They like the visibility. And they like not smelling like diesel fumes."
O'Connell said it charges overnight.
"That's terrific. Keep up the good work," Obama said.
Obama also marveled at a pair of AT&T vehicles -- a natural gas/electric hybrid repair truck labeled "a cleaner clearer connection" used in Riverside, Calif., and a stubby van-like vehicle with an electric plug painted on the side, labeled "All-Electric Vehicle." AT&T's Katie Dugan told Obama that one is used in Dallas, and the company plans to get another 18 or so by the end of the year.
"Helping save the environment and the economy," Obama said, approvingly.
The presidential entourage: a regular-emission motorcade of 15 vehicles (two limos, 7 SUVs, 3 vans, 1 car, an ambulance and an ambulance-type supersecret Secret Service vehicle). And that hardly describes the full carbon footprint. An accurate accounting for this excursion would have to include the surveillance helicopters; scores of police cars and motorcycles deployed along the route; and many hundreds of civilian cars idling in traffic as the motorcade passed.
AP photo/Obama, with the secretaries of energy and transportation. Behind, them, an AT&T vehicle used in Dallas.
Source: http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/04/obama-and-frito-lay-corn-chips.html
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