At first, officials from FedEx, the overnight package giant, wondered why they had agreed to meet with an environmental group. Quickly, however, they found out that helping to reduce pollution could also be good for the corporate bottom line. The result of a three-year joint venture between FedEx Express and Environmental Defense is that the ubiquitous white trucks will, over the long haul, use less gas and emit fewer pollutants.

The company and environmental group announced last week that FedEx would begin using hybrid electric trucks that use 50 percent less fuel and emit 90 percent less particulate matter and 75 less smog-causing particulates. The initial order is for only 20 of the clean vehicles, which combine a diesel engine with an electric motor, to be used in big cities with very dirty air. But, company officials said FedEx Express is seriously considering converting their entire fleet of 30,000 medium-duty delivery trucks that deliver packages to homes and businesses, scores of which travel the roads of Maine every day.

FedEx should be commended as the first large company to make a long-term commitment to developing and using hybrid-electric delivery trucks. United Parcel Service is currently testing fuel cell-powered vehicles for its fleet and has more than 1,000 natural gas-powered trucks on the road. In Maine, propane-powered buses ferry visitors around Acadia National Park and the city of Portland is contemplated converting its bus fleet to natural gas while individuals are snapping up hybrid cars as quickly as they come off the production line.

The new FedEx trucks cost 10 to 20 percent more than conventional vehicles, but the added expense is offset by the increased fuel efficiency and reducing the financial impact of swings in oil prices, said FedEx Express President David Bronczek. The company replaces its trucks every 10 years or so, but that process could be sped up if tax credits were made available to help offset the cost. Congress may soon consider legislation originally sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins that would do just this. The bill, now sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah and supported by Sen. Olympia Snowe, would provide tax credits of $2,000 to $40,000 to individuals and companies that buy hybrid and other alternative fuel vehicles.

The bill, which has bipartisan support, coupled with corporate efforts such as the one undertaken by FedEx, will go a long way toward cleaning up our air. That’s a great package to land on the doorstep.