Propane Shuttles Operate 24/7 At Philadelphia’s International Airport

LESTER, PENN. (September 26, 2017) — Increased operating efficiency and decreased emissions have been two of the many benefits for an off-airport parking company operating buses fueled with propane autogas.

Colonial Airport Parking runs around the clock, transporting travelers to and from Philadelphia International Airport. Since turning to propane, the thriving business has cut fuel costs by 32 percent and bus maintenance costs by 28.4 percent. Their current propane fleet will emit 730,000 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

“By choosing propane, we’ve reduced our carbon footprint, improved our operating efficiency, better served our customers and prevented local residents from breathing in a lot of unnecessary pollution,” said John Groden, operations manager for Colonial Airport Parking.

After researching various types of conventional and alternative fuels, the company purchased two E-450 shuttles, each equipped with a ROUSH CleanTech engine. Three years later, the company now operates eight state-of-the-art propane shuttles. Two remaining gasoline buses will be replaced next year, making the fleet 100 percent propane-fueled.

The airport shuttle operation applied for a grant through the state of Pennsylvania, which covered half of the incremental cost of the shuttles, although according to Groden, even without the funding, the vehicles would have paid for themselves very quickly.

With their near-constant use, the company’s 3-year old shuttles “already have 140,000 miles on them, and have had no issues other than routine maintenance,” Groden said. “Our mechanic is astonished at how clean the oil is when our propane vehicles are due for service, and our drivers say that the propane vehicles function better than our gasoline vehicles, especially during cold winter months.”

The buses’ ROUSH CleanTech fuel system uses propane liquid injection, which “helps eliminate cold-start issues while obtaining the same horsepower and torque,” said Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing for ROUSH CleanTech. “Propane is a domestically produced, versatile fuel, ideal for industries such as airport transportation and parking that demand consistently high performance day in and day out.”

In order to keep as many parking spaces as possible for customers, Colonial Airport Parking fuels its shuttles off-site. While thousands of propane stations are located around the nation, many propane fleets chose to install a propane station on-site. Installing a propane station costs less than developing infrastructure for any other fuel — conventional or alternative.

Next week ROUSH CleanTech will be at the National Parking Association Convention & Expo in Palm Springs, Calif., to showcase its propane autogas technology.

About ROUSH CleanTech:

ROUSH CleanTech, an industry leader of alternative fuel vehicle technology, is a division of ROUSH Enterprises based in Livonia, Michigan. ROUSH CleanTech designs, engineers, manufactures and installs propane autogas fuel system technology for medium-duty Ford commercial vehicles, and Type A and Type C Blue Bird school buses, and compressed natural gas fuel systems for Type C Blue Bird school buses. As a Ford QVM-certified alternative fuel vehicle manufacturer, ROUSH CleanTech delivers economical, clean and domestically produced fueling options for fleets across North America. Learn more at ROUSHcleantech.com.

About Colonial Airport Parking, Inc.:

Colonial Airport Parking (CAP) is an affiliate of Colonial Parking, Inc., which was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. CAP provides parking services, both self-park and valet, at its 1,500-space parking facility for travelers utilizing the Philadelphia International Airport, located 2 miles from CAP’s facility.