Those guys and gals in those brown delivery trucks seem pretty efficient (especially when they get your order to you on time!). But UPS is making its whole operation even more efficient and greener… and biodiesel is playing an important role.

This story on FastCompany.com says the delivery giant today announced a new goal of cutting its entire airborne fleet’s carbon emissions by an additional 20 percent by 2020 by making its planes run more efficiently. But efforts once those packages are back on the ground will play a big role for the company as well:

When planes reach their destinations, a variety of biodiesel-powered ground support equipment will help the aircraft dock and unload swiftly and efficiently. While parked at UPS Worldport, planes are powered with electricity rather than fuel-burning auxiliary generators common at many airports. Loading and unloading equipment will run on electricity as well, further cutting the diesel bill for UPS.

As you might remember from my post last October 28, 2008, UPS is already testing a delivery vehicle that uses a hydraulic hybrid system to power the truck.