Since a majority of the letter is unfortunately located behind a paywall, here is the full text of what Weidie had to say about the misconception of propane autogas prices:

DOE data on gas pricing paints inaccurate picture
I just came across your article about Pittsburgh’s Yellow Cab Co. converting 75 fleet vehicles to run on propane fuel. While it’s fantastic that you’re shedding light on a lesser known domestically produced alternative fuel like propane autogas, it’s important to note the DOE data you reference (listing propane as more expensive than gasoline) is actually skewed for a couple of reasons.

First, the DOE data paints an inaccurate picture of autogas pricing. In surveying propane prices, the data they aggregate includes retail propane prices that are not specific to propane as an engine fuel (propane autogas), so their figures don’t accurately indicate what fleets are paying at the pump.

Because of the volume of propane used in a vehicle fuel applications, propane autogas prices can be significantly lower than the price of propane for more traditional applications (including RV’s and grill cylinders). Establishing an accurate depiction of autogas pricing is something the industry is constantly working to achieve.

And last, propane has a higher octane rating than gasoline, so autogas-powered vehicles exhibit greater fuel efficiency than the DOE data indicates. Since the DOE data strictly compares fuels on a BTU basis, it doesn’t take into account the impact that octane has on efficiency.

Stuart Weidie, founder, Autogas for America, and president, Alliance AutoGas

The piece details Pittsburgh’s Yellow Cab’s plan to convert 75 fleet vehicles to run on autogas. However, the reporter references DOE data that makes propane fuel actually seem more expensive than gasoline. Not true, and here’s why:

The DOE data is an inaccurate depiction of autogas pricing. In surveying propane prices, they include retail propane prices not specific to propane as an engine fuel (autogas), so the figures don’t accurately indicate the price fleets pay at the pump. Because of the volume of propane used for vehicle fuel, autogas prices can be significantly lower than propane for things like RV’s and grill cylinders.

And perhaps most importantly, propane has a higher octane rating than gasoline, so autogas vehicles have greater fuel efficiency than the DOE data indicates. The data only compares fuels on a BTU basis, and doesn’t take into account the impact octane has on efficiency.

Fleets like Pittsburgh’s Yellow Cab will actually save money by switching to autogas, both on fuel costs and through reduced vehicle maintenance (again, where the clean-burning nature of autogas comes into play!). Many fleets even report their autogas vehicle engines last longer.

Switching America’s fleets to autogas is simply a smart investment, both for companies with shrinking budgets, as well as for those with the long-term goal of enhancing U.S. energy security with domestically produced clean fuel.