PERC Adds 6 Videos to Straight Talk Testimonials

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has added to its Straight Talk video series, an online collection of videos that allows viewers to hear directly from fleet owners and managers who use propane autogas vehicles. Available free at propane.com/on-road-fleets/ testimonials, the six new presentations include testimonials from municipalities saving money for taxpayers, a transportation company reducing fuel costs, and school districts solving the frustrations that come with operating older diesel buses in cold weather.

“Propane autogas is incredibly versatile as a fuel for any size or type of fleet, with both OEM- and after-market-certified fuel systems that can accommodate many of a fleet’s existing or new vehicles, from sedans, light-duty vans and pickups, to medium-duty work trucks and school buses,” said Michael Taylor, PERC director of autogas business development. “We want these videos to allow fleet owners and managers to visualize the experiences they could have by using clean, cost-effective propane autogas.”

A fleet included in the video series is the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) in San Diego, Calif. San Diego MTS transitioned 36% of its minibuses and paratransit buses to new autogas vehicles in the fall of 2016. The fleet found that transitioning to the fuel was nearly seamless and allows it to make both a positive impact on the environment and save money.

The City of Kingsport in Kingsport, Tenn., since 2011, has steadily added 90 autogas vehicles to nearly a dozen departments, including parks and recreation and police. The mid-size city has seen benefits, among them reduced costs, high performance, and reduced emissions. The Metropolitan School District of Warren Township in Indianapolis. Ind. has about 85% of its students riding a school bus, but cold winters put pressure on the district’s fleet of diesel buses. Drivers have formed a waiting list to switch over to driving autogas buses, which start with no issue in the cold, warm up quickly, and run quietly.

Indianapolis Public Schools in Indianapolis, Ind. began replacing its fleet with propane buses in 2016 to cut back on repair costs on its 12- to 13-year-old diesel buses. Along with providing students with a quieter, more comfortable ride, the district can report both emissions and cost reductions to the school board and taxpayers. Van Go Transportation Service in Richmond, Va., by using bi-fuel systems that use propane and gasoline, can transport clients farther distances before having to worry about refueling. The company has also saved tens of thousands of dollars from reduced fuel and maintenance costs.

Cook-Illinois Corp. in Chicago first purchased autogas school buses in 2014 and hasn’t looked back. The company serves districts around the Chicago area and has experienced less downtime with its propane buses compared to its diesel buses. Cook-Illinois intends to switch at least 50% of its fleet to propane autogas.