Longview plant unveils hybrid specialty truck

TEXAS - Officials of a Longview plant that makes specialty trucks unveiled a prototype pluggable hybrid terminal tractor that they said would reduce emissions.

The terminal tractor is headed to Houston, where it will be tested in work environments and demonstrated. The tractor is typically used at seaports, inter-modal transportation yards and warehousing or distribution centers.

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, praised the workers at Capacity of Texas who developed the Pluggable Hybrid Electric Terminal Tractor.

"You are showing that Texas can be a leader in developing alternative sources of energy consumption and use in the future," Hutchison told the workers.

Gohmert said the innovation and technology demonstrated with the terminal tractor was uplifting, the Longview News-Journal reported.

"Their hybrid electric tractor will not only significantly reduce harmful emissions but could also reduce fuel costs by 90 percent, saving businesses valuable money that will help them stay competitive," he said.

Hutchison criticized the energy policy of the Obama administration.

"We need to work toward a sensible energy policy, not one that taxes our oil and natural gas industries more," she said.

Hutchison also said the United States needs to control its own energy and manufacturing destiny.

"We don't need to leave our energy policy to the whim of a Venezuelan dictator or someone in the Mideast," she said.

Phillip Ford, Capacity president, said he was optimistic about the future of the plug-in hybrid electric terminal tractor.