Propane autogas is not an alternative fuel of the future; it’s a clean, domestically produced, cost-effective choice for right here, right now. At a workshop sponsored by the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition on Wednesday at the Bessemer campus of Lawson State Community College, early adopters of propane for powering fleets of school buses, delivery and service vans and other commercial vehicles shared their experiences – plus facts and figures – on how converting from gasoline and diesel to cleaner propane autogas saves money and, because it is so much cleaner-burning, is better for the environment.
“We had a great turnout and our speakers and panelists provided a lot of important and actionable information to fleet managers, government officials and members of the public who have an interest in saving money while also helping decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil,” said ACFC Executive Director Mark Bentley. “People like Greg Zilberfarb of the Propane Education and Research Council, Casey Foster from Birmingham City Schools, Russell Lawrence from Tuscaloosa Transit Authority and Andy Farquhar from the Alabama Department of Corrections have years of experience in using propane-powered vehicles and we were thrilled to have them share their experiences here today.”
Not only is propane autogas less expensive at the pump, but vehicle maintenance costs are also significantly lowered. Propane autogas burns so much cleaner than gas or diesel that savings come at every oil change, according to fleet manager that Alabama Clean Fuels has worked with.
Kathy Hornsby of the Energy Division of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs also provided an overview at the workshop on how the $25.5 million Volkswagen settlement for Alabama may positively impact propane vehicle expansion in the state.
“I think it is great that they are doing the event and giving more exposure to propane,” Foster said. “It is great cost savings for the school systems and also it is clean energy, so it is great for the community.”
More information on Propane Autogas and other alternative fuels can be found at www.alabamacleanfuels.org.
Mark B. – How many school districts in Alabama are using propane in their buses? (And do you know how many school buses roughly there are in AL that are on propane?)
[…] Want to learn more about clean city initiatives in Alabama? Check out why Alabama is on board with introducing more propane autogas buses in their state here! […]