41 AirportImprovement.com October 2026 ENVIRONMENTAL BFI and operates BFI. “The plan has a number of facets to it, including a goal to reduce the carbon footprint of county-owned vehicles,” explains Parrott, adding that the airport is doing its part and leading by example. “Our region is experiencing the effects of climate change, and these challenges will only intensify,” former King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a news release last spring. “We are taking bold and decisive action to reduce emissions.” To help navigate the challenges of incorporating electric vehicles, airport officials sought advice from engineering and consulting firm WSP and the King County Division of Fleet Services. Updating the Fleet The new Striker Volterra is the centerpiece of BFI’s move to more sustainable vehicles. Clint Herman, a sergeant at the airport fire department, highlights the truck’s lack of emissions when operating in full electric- power mode—a particularly important benefit when operators start the vehicle inside the station apparatus bay. “We start it only in electric mode, so our firefighters aren’t exposed to exhaust fumes that contain diesel particulate and toxins, which are the biggest (negative) contributing factors to firefighters’ health,” Herman explains. “It’s also very quiet,” he adds. “When it’s in electric mode, you almost can’t tell it’s even operating.” Other benefits include reduced wear and tear on the diesel engine, which doesn’t need to run as often, and increased longevity of brake pads and rotors because the vehicle slows down significantly when drivers take a foot off the gas pedal. With fully charged batteries, the hybrid electric ARFF unit can travel about 44 miles at 50 miles per hour before needing another charge, Herman reports. “After we got the truck, we fully charged it and drove it around the airport to simulate normal driving conditions,” he relates. “We didn’t have to charge it again until the third day.” Not surprisingly, there was a slight learning curve for drivers. The Volterra accelerates 28% faster than similar diesel- powered Strikers and tops out at 72 miles per hour in hybrid mode, when both the diesel engine and electric motor propel it. Four department members attended a two-day training session at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which Herman says helped significantly. The DFW Fire Department owns six Volterras— more than any other U.S. airport. He and other firefighters were most surprised by the way the diesel engine and electric motor work together. “I didn’t suspect it would be so smooth,” he says, crediting the vehicle’s electromechanical infinitely variable transmission. “When you need speed, you press the throttle all the way down and it assumes you need more power and torque, and seamlessly shifts into electric hybrid mode.” As expected, there were a few operational hiccups with the first hybrid electric ARFF vehicle in the field. But Herman reports that Oshkosh personnel have been very responsive and fixed issues quickly. Not Completely Different Because the new ARFF truck still has a diesel engine, its maintenance needs— such as oil and other fluid changes—are similar to a conventional firetruck. “It has the same four-wheel drive (as a conventional firetruck) and the same suspension,” Herman says. “There’s no difference functionally, either. There are just a few nuances that operators need become familiar with.” Although the Volterra cost about $1 million more than a conventional diesel- engine Striker, airport officials didn’t calculate a payback period because ARFF vehicles aren’t used very often. “This is not a money-saving endeavor,” Parrott explains. “We knew electric vehicles are more expensive. But we felt that buying them was the right thing to do in order to support the county’s strategic climate plan.” Purchasing the Volterra allowed the airport to retire its oldest ARFF truck— a 1993 diesel model that was used as a reserve vehicle. The airport also owns a 2020 Oshkosh Striker ARFF vehicle and a 2008 Oshkosh Striker that is now designated as a reserve unit. Both are diesel-powered. Sweeping Benefits Just as firefighters endured a few blips with the new ARFF truck, airport maintenance employees had similar experiences with the electric sweeper from Global Environmental. “The first version of anything usually has some unforeseeable issues that pop up,” says Casey Henderson, lead equipment operator at BFI. “This is not a knock on the manufacturer, it’s just inherent—especially when it involves new technology.” To ease the transition, an engineer from Global Environmental met with airport employees to discuss performance expectations and the machine’s capabilities and limitations.
View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.