Companies and governments interested in lowering fuel costs for trucks and heavy equipment are being offered a chance May 22 to sample and see an array of choices.

A workshop at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum offered fleet managers a chance to learn more about work trucks that use clean fuels and technologies – and to ride in or drive 20 of them. The event showcased vehicles using natural gas, propane, electricity and hybrid technologies.

The High-Efficiency Truck Users Forum Southeast Regional Fleet Workshop is a project of CALSTART, a consortium that promotes clean transportation technology and fuels.

This event marked the first time Birmingham has hosted the regional event. The Southeastern workshop is the first of five regional meetings scheduled around the country this year.

“Fleet managers everywhere are looking for ways to operate in a way that is more cost-effective and less damaging to the environment,” said Mark Bentley, executive director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition,  which helped to sponsor the event at Barber. “This workshop essentially offered them one-stop shopping.”

Other sponsors for the event included Freightliner, Eaton and the National Association of Fleet Administrators. Manufacturers offering ride-and-drive vehicles included Altec, Terex, Boulder Electric Vehicle, DesignLine, Griffin, Isuzu, Odyne, VIA Motors, and XL Hybrids.

Tutorials were also provided for fleet professionals interested in learning more about funding and incentives, fleet economics, and best practices for fleet deployment.