• An Oregon sheriff fleet expects to save thousands with 10 new propane cruisers.

• The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Roadshow is making its way through Georgia over the next couple of weeks, featuring vehicles that run on propane autogas, natural gas, biofuels and electricity.

• The Flint Mass Transportation Authority is working with Crystal Flash, which is part of Alliance AutoGas, to switch 57 buses to run on autogas. They hope to have 92 clean buses by the fall.

• States are increasingly hitting owners of alternative fuel vehicles with extra taxes to offset decreasing gasoline tax revenues.

• A conference in Houston, Texas, this week focused on alternative fuel fleets.

• The largest school district in Arizona will have nearly 90 propane-powered buses in its fleet soon. According to School Transportation News: “The district said it is saving more than $0.37 per mile in operating costs and with the new buses expects to save $4.43 million in total operating costs over a five-year period.”

• The price for used Nissan Leafs is expected to fall.

• This Forbes article poses the question: should we be turning natural gas into gasoline?

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• Experts from Alliance AutoGas and ROUSH CleanTech recently spoke with a couple Georgia city and county governments about the benefits of running vehicles on propane autogas.

• The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition is teaming up once again with the team from the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program to present a propane autogas roadshow June 20 in Montgomery.

• How is FedEx reducing its fuel use and emissions?

• A GE Capital Fleet Services survey finds that driver safety is a number one concern among fleet managers.

• Propane autogas vehicle technology was in the spotlight at last week’s Police Fleet Expo in Fort Worth, Texas. Operating on autogas can save law enforcement fleets thousands on fuel costs annually, in addition to the increased vehicle range offered with bi-fuel autogas systems.

• A California transit fleet has introduced new hybrid diesel electric buses to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

• A city in Alabama is switching to biodiesel fuel to power heavy equipment, and expects to save $10k per year in tax credits for using alternative fuel.

• Meanwhile, the Wilmington International Airport has saved about 8 percent on energy costs by greening its operations, including running mowers on clean propane.

• An alternative fuel roadshow is headed to Georgia from 9 a.m.-noon June 13 at Savannah Technical College.

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Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) will manage the project and provide training for regional Clean Cities organizations such as Denver Metro Clean Cities, Garfield Clean Energy in Garfield County, Northern Colorado Clean Cities in Fort Collins and Southern Colorado Clean Cities in Colorado Springs. These local organizations will enlist fleets to participate in the Refuel Colorado Fleets project, which will encompass at least seven communities across Colorado. Once the communities are selected, the trained energy coaches from Clean Cities will work with local government and business fleets to help them with purchasing alternative fuel vehicles and improving fleet efficiency.

“Helping local communities make more widespread use of alternative vehicle fuel technologies also helps drive economic development,” said Alice Laird, executive director of CLEER. “This project will help Colorado speed up our transition to domestic vehicle fuels, building business and jobs.”

The $225,000 Refuel Colorado Fleets project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and does not include funds for fueling stations, charging stations or alternative fuel vehicles.The Colorado Energy Office also plans to provide public information through web tools, support stakeholder initiatives to remove barriers to alternative fuel adoption, and incorporate alternative fuel vehicles in the state fleet.

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• Jackson Heating & Air, an HVAC company in LaGrange, Ga., is powering 20 fleet vehicles on propane autogas through Alliance AutoGas, with conversions from Force 911 and fueling from Blossman Gas.

• The American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF) says running more heavy- and light-duty vehicles on natural gas would have “minimal impact on natural gas prices.”

• The Propane Gas Association of New England held a demonstration at the state capitol Wednesday, featuring a school bus, commercial lawn mower, a truck and a bi-fuel car that run on clean propane autogas. The Shelton school district is adding 60 propane-powered buses to its fleet.

• Experts from the propane autogas and automotive industries spoke about autogas for fleets on the Detroit PBS program “Autoline” last weekend.

• A proposed bill in California would give a tax break to alternative fuel vehicles.

• State transportation officials in West Virginia state hope to solve the “chicken-or-egg” problem for natural gas vehicle fuel by converting a portion of the state’s fleet to compressed natural gas as fueling stations are built. The governor’s Natural Gas Vehicle Task Force recommends the state convert 25 percent–or 1,952 out of 7,811 fleet vehicles–to CNG within four years.

• Speaking of natural gas, UPS is adding a whopping 700 fleet vehicles that run on LNG and building four refueling stations by the end of 2014. I wonder how many more propane autogas stations and vehicle conversions they could implement for the same price tag?

• The Federal Trade Commission is getting rid of fuel economy labels as it requires automakers to disclose comparative driving range performance between alternative fuel and conventional gasoline vehicles.

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Here are the top five reasons fueling fleets with propane autogas is a piece of cake:

1) Affordable onsite fueling stations
Because switching to alternative fuel shouldn’t be a hassle, Alliance AutoGas will provide onsite fueling at a fleet’s home base at no upfront cost to make the transition to autogas a seamless process. Installing propane autogas infrastructure is much more affordable compared to compressed natural gas: 15 to 20 autogas stations can be built for the cost of a single CNG station!

2) Safe and easy refueling
Autogas fueling is easy with no-spill, zero-emission equipment that operates similar to a gasoline fuel pump and also takes a similar amount of time to dispense. Alliance AutoGas provides staff safety training as part of its complete program, educating drivers and other staff on how to effectively operate and refuel their new clean vehicles. Autogas vehicle tanks are also 20 times more puncture resistant than gasoline tanks, and propane autogas is nontoxic, nonpoisonous, and has the lowest flammability range of any alternative fuel–even lower than gasoline.

 
3) Year-round fuel supply
Alliance AutoGas keeps fleets up and running on propane autogas with a guaranteed year-round fuel supply through its network of experienced fuel providers. Fleets can conveniently fuel vehicles at their home base and save upwards of $2 per gallon on fuel compared to gasoline.

4) Versatile bi-fuel autogas systems
Converting vehicles to run on propane autogas through the Prins VSI autogas system is an attractive option for many fleets because it offers versatility and peace of mind. For example, if the autogas tank happens to run low out of range of a fuel station, drivers can switch to gasoline with the push of a button. This eliminates what’s commonly known as “range anxiety” among drivers of electric and hybrid vehicles, which is especially important for high-mileage and law enforcement fleets. Also, the bi-fuel autogas systems can be switched from older, retiring vehicles to newer models with similar engines in practically no time.

5) Widespread network of fuel stations nationwide
There are already more than 2,500 propane autogas fueling stations already in place throughout the U.S.–including more than 2,000 public stations–a number that continues to grow as more fleets adopt this viable clean fuel. Visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s website to find an alternative fueling station near you.

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• A lawn and landscaping company in Missouri saved around $10,000 over the past year operating propane mowers.

• A county in West Virginia plans to compare fleet vehicles that run on propane autogas versus compressed natural gas.

• You can register here for the upcoming Energy Independence Summit 2013, where the nation’s Clean Cities coordinators and clean transportation experts will discuss the future of alternative fuel vehicles in the U.S.

• The Mass Transportation Authority in Michigan just received its first four of 60 total new propane autogas fleet vehicles. MTA originally considered CNG vehicles, but it would have required spending more money on special storage and fueling facilities.

• We’re seeing a trend pop up time and again in the news headlines, first with state governments and now the federal government as well: how do we pay for transportation infrastructure traditionally funded by the gasoline tax, when more and more people are driving less overall and driving alternative fuel vehicles more? Problem is, no one wants to punish drivers who choose clean fuel and advanced technology vehicles by taxing them, but the funds have to come from somewhere! Expect to see more legislation to solve this issue making the news in 2013.

• U.S. truckers say natural gas vehicles are too pricey.

• The West Allegheny school district in the Pittsburgh area plans to begin incorporating propane-powered school buses in their fleet.

• The City of Temple, Texas, is adding 11 clean propane autogas vehicles to their fleet, which already includes five autogas vehicles.

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• As we blogged about earlier this week, Alliance AutoGas launched a new video series to educate America’s fleets about the benefits of operating on clean, affordable propane autogas.

• President Obama has proposed diverting $2 billion in revenue from federal oil and gas royalties over the next decade to pay for advanced technology vehicle research.

• Things are heating up a bit in Oregon this week as the Senate hears arguments both for and against extending the “sunset clause” on the Clean Fuels Program.

• A Sustainable Energy Conference is coming to Raleigh, N.C. this April.

• Some see “short-term pain but long-term gain” in running fleets on natural gas.

• A new report from the EPA cites significant gains in fuel economy for 2012.

• The Denver Auto Show is being held this week. This article explores natural gas vehicle use by fleets vs. consumers.

• AAA will offer a roadside charging service for electric vehicles in Washington state.

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In this first video, Alliance AutoGas President Stuart Weidie delves into the many reasons propane autogas is a solid choice to power U.S. fleets, such as:

• 98 percent of the U.S. propane autogas supply is made in America.

• Autogas tanks are 20 times more puncture resistant than gasoline tanks.

• Autogas stations are affordable–especially compared to CNG stations, which can cost $1.5 million.

• Organizations can achieve ROI with autogas technology in as little as one year.

• Autogas has averaged about $1.50 per gallon less than gasoline for the past seven years.

• Refueling with autogas is just as quick as filling up with gasoline.

• Autogas delivers similar performance and driving range relative to gasoline vehicles.

• Fleets can convert existing vehicles to autogas or purchase brand new autogas vehicles.

• Autogas conversions typically cost about half as much as natural gas vehicles conversions.

• Alliance AutoGas will not only install an autogas station for a fleet at no upfront cost, but also provides all the training fleets need to launch and sustain an autogas program

Subscribe to the Alliance AutoGas YouTube channel for new episodes in the autogas video series this spring, or visit the Alliance AutoGas website for more information on running your fleet on affordable, American-made autogas.

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Alliance AutoGas, ROUSH Cleantech and Force 911 propane autogas trucks at the Chattanooga roadshow.

• The Tennessee Alternative Fuel Vehicle Roadshow kicked off this week in Kingsport, and Alliance AutoGas and Force 911 were there to display clean propane autogas vehicles. Alliance’s own autogas expert Steve Whaley spoke with a local news reporter in Knoxville about the benefits of operating fleet vehicles on affordable, American-made autogas.

• A Georgia school district is enjoying the cost savings of operating on autogas.

• A town in New York state will test out propane autogas vehicles.

• A new propane autogas dispenser was unveiled at the Midwest Propane Gas Convention this week.

• Fleet Owner magazine questions what alternative fuel technologies have the “legs to last long-term.”

• In the battle of the plug-ins, GM is winning out over Nissan: the Chevy Volt outsold the Nissan Leaf last year.

• How the “fracking boom” could transform the U.S. transportation industry.

• The University of Iowa bus fleet has had to raise prices for its transit fares and passes for the first time in 15 years due to rising gasoline prices. Sounds like they could benefit from a switch to alternative fuel!

• Speaking of which, Alliance AutoGas welcomed an Iowa farmers co-op called Key Cooperative this week, to bring more propane autogas vehicles to the Midwest.

• The House Transportation Committee in Vermont is recommending a gasoline tax hike.

• The City of Trussville, Ala., is getting a new CNG fueling station this week–only the 5th CNG station in the state and one of only 566 nationwide.

• A new Advanced Technology Transportation Center at an Oregon college will train students to maintain alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, as well as to perform propane autogas and CNG vehicle conversions.

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Force 911 and Alliance AutoGas-branded propane autogas trucks

“The Department of Energy had $300 million that they funded projects all of the United States. We did a project of 1,200 vehicles and the city of Kingsport was part of that project,” says Steve Whaley with Alliance AutoGas, who outfitted the Kingsport fleet.

It was an effort at saving fuel costs for the city as well as the obvious environmental concerns. “As we’ve seen in the last few months the volatility of ten-cent everyday increases in gasoline at the pumps. Propane didn’t actually do that. So currently we’re paying $1.50 for propane and $3.01 for gasoline,” city fleet manager Steve Hightower said.

The fact is that these vehicles are known as bi-fuel. You have your choice: gas or propane. “These are bi-fuel systems so nothing changes on the existing gasoline-powered system. What we do is overlay an additional fueling system, the propane system. So you can literally push a button and run on propane or push a button and run on a gasoline system,” Whaley said.

Steve Whaley of Alliance AutoGas discusses propane autogas for fleets during the Knoxville alternative fuel vehicle roadshow.

Alliance AutoGas and vehicle conversion center partner Force 911 are participating in the TN roadshows to display autogas vehicle technology for fleets and discuss the benefits of running on this clean fuel. The roadshow is in Knoxville today and will stop in Chattanooga Thursday. Visit the official alt fuel roadshow website for a complete list of events and additional details, including registration.

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