Even on the snowiest winter day, the custodial and landscape services crew at Missouri University of Science and Technology is helping keep the campus “green” thanks to the department’s new Green Truck. The electric service vehicle was purchased to support S&T’s plans for a green campus community.

The Green Truck EV7050 by Vantage Vehicles will be used for all types of landscape projects, although it is being tested for other campus applications, like mail delivery, parking lot operations or campus maintenance.

The truck costs about 3 cents a mile to operate, unlike the gas-powered vehicle it replaced, which costs closer to 50 cents a mile. And the Green Truck produces no emissions.

“With zero emissions, this machine reduces the carbon footprint produced by our operations,” says Randy Davis, assistant director of custodial and landscape services. “I hope this effort will provide a catalyst for other departments and universities to promote use of these types of vehicles on campuses and in small urban areas.”

The truck can be plugged into any standard 110-volt outlet, Davis says. It takes four hours to fully charge the battery and once charged, it can run for up to eight hours on a single charge, depending on payload weight.

Missouri S&T’s Green Campus Committee and the environmental management systems department have set a goal of reducing the fuel consumption of campus-owned vehicles, says Davis. “This will be a visible reminder of Missouri S&T’s commitment to go green.”