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Councilwoman Wants Delivery Trucks Put on the Grid

By Leslie Albrecht | May 24, 2011 7:33am | Updated on May 23, 2011 7:48am
Fresh Direct's CEO says he likes the idea of allowing the company's trucks to plug their refrigeration units into the city's power grid.
Fresh Direct's CEO says he likes the idea of allowing the company's trucks to plug their refrigeration units into the city's power grid.
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DNAinfo/Leslie Albrecht

By Leslie Albrecht

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

UPPER WEST SIDE —  Upper West Side City Councilwoman Gale Brewer says she has a plan to make noisy, smog-belching delivery trucks cleaner and quieter.

Brewer wants parked delivery trucks to plug into the city's electrical grid instead of running diesel engines to power their refrigeration units.

Brewer says she's been flooded with complaints about loud delivery trucks, especially Fresh Direct vehicles.

Many people mistakenly believe the noise and fumes come from idling truck engines, but it's actually the diesel generator on the refrigeration unit that makes the racket and pumps out carbon monoxide, Brewer said.

If those "reefer" units could be powered instead by electricity, the noise and pollution would disappear and the city could earn revenue, she said.

"I don't like these trucks on the street, but if they need to be here, they need to be quiet and they need to be clean, and they should generate revenue," Brewer said.

Brewer recently wrote a letter to Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith asking the city to put together a pilot program where trucks could plug in refrigeration units at curbside hubs, then pay the city for the electricity usage.

Brewer said she floated the idea to the Department of Transportation a while ago, but it got a cool reception. She recharged her effort recently when she found out that Cemusa, the company that operates the city's new newsstands and bus shelters, plugs into the electrical system to light up their stands.

Cemusa pays the city based on a usage estimated, not metered use, Brewer said.

Companies that use refrigerated delivery trucks said they like Brewer's idea.

"If there was a city program that would enable us to access power while we park our trucks, that would be a win for the city, for FreshDirect and for the community," said FreshDirect CEO Jason Ackerman in an emailed statement.

Ackerman said all of the company's refrigeration units have the ability to plug into electrical outlets instead of running on their own independent engines.

A spokeswoman for Fairway Market said Fairway would "definitely be interested" in such a program if its trucks could accommodate it.

"Fairway is extraordinarily committed to reducing air and noise pollution," said spokeswoman Jacqueline Donovan.