Waste Management Tests Peterbilt Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks

Trash-hauler Waste Management Inc. is field-testing the first prototype parallel hydraulic hybrid truck to be deployed in waste collection runs, the company said Friday.

Four parallel hydraulic hybrid-diesel collection trucks have been incorporated into WMI's fleet and are being tested in Fort Worth, Texas, to study and optimize the hybrid system’s efficiency and reliability, the company said.

The  trucks, built by Peterbilt Motors Co., use a hydraulic launch assist that was developed by Eaton Corp. to capture and store energy during braking, which not only improves efficiency but reduces wear on break pads, WMI said.