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Providing an eco-friendly approach, company uses vehicles that provide energy efficiency, environmental safety, noise reduction and driver comfort

Starting out in 2015, the founder of City Logistics wanted easy-to-operate delivery vehicles with efficient and clean technologies. He ordered 5 natural gas Stralis trucks from Iveco, equipped with fully automatic Allison transmissions.

“I already knew the Allison brand. I had used Allison Automatics myself and seen them used a number of time during my career in heavy trucks, construction and passenger buses in Africa,” said Yves Guyon, founder and CEO of City Logistics. “Recruiting and keeping drivers is a key challenge in our business and the adoption of fully automatics reflects our concern for improving working conditions and comfortable driving.”

Guyon wanted to improve conditions for his drivers while ensuring high fleet productivity, making these distinguishing elements to his company’s reputation. Urban delivery causes stress and requires physical work: parking in crowded roads, getting in and out of the cab often, finding the parcel, removing it from the truck and carrying it to the customer site, and setting off again on their day-long rounds in very busy traffic.

To that extent, the company’s 5 drivers have been pleased with the driving flexibility and vehicle control made possible by the Allison transmission.

Today, City Logistics is running the first five vehicles, 19-ton Stralis trucks, full time for deliveries in Lyon inner city. Three others smaller trucks make up the fleet.

Clean fuel vehicles offer a variety of benefits

Natural gas technology generates tangible fuel savings of around 40 percent compared to equivalent journeys with a diesel vehicle. However, clean fuel vehicles typically require a higher initial investment. City Logistics received financial support from ADEME, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, which encourages green corporate environmental policies.

“The Iveco Stralis that City Logistics operates meet Euro 6 standard; Iveco natural gas engines help reducing particle emissions by 96 percent and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 70 percent compared to diesel,” said Clément Chandon, EMEA – Heavy Line, Gas Business Development for Iveco. “Since 1999, over 15,000 Iveco natural gas trucks went in to service in Europe.”

In addition, Allison’s Continuous Power Technology™ helps natural gas-powered vehicles deliver peak performance and silent operation, meaning the company can deliver at night, use the trucks more, and be faster and more flexible for customers.

Choosing natural gas vehicles equipped with Allison transmissions helped meet customers’ expectations and City Logistics is now planning to expand its fleet by also purchasing 7.5 ton and 12 ton vehicles. The company even built its own in-house natural gas station.

“Our customers are large international delivery firms who entrust us with 50 tons of goods every morning to deliver in the town center,” said Guyon. “Soon, local businesses, craftsmen and shops will be able to order their couriers from our website and deliver their customers within two hours if required. Our quick and flexible delivery service means they can focus on their core business and save 15 percent of their time.”