Law enforcement fleets demand a lot from their vehicles. On any given day, police officers and sheriff’s deputies may drive their cruisers hundreds of miles, pursue vehicles at high speeds or even place them in the line of fire. As rising gasoline prices put a strain on already tight municipal budgets, these fleets are looking for American-made alternative fuels that can cut fuel costs, without sacrificing vehicle performance or safety.
A South Carolina television affiliate recently profiled the local Pickens County Sheriff’s Department fleet, which has converted vehicles to run on propane autogas. Pickens County has been extremely pleased with the autogas conversions and fueling through the Alliance AutoGas complete program, supported by the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program. With the new environmentally friendly autogas cruisers, they’re saving taxpayer money and ensuring cleaner air for the community.
Propane autogas is more than $1 cheaper per gallon than gasoline, which adds up quickly–especially for high-mileage fleets like law enforcement agencies. And since autogas burns cleaner than gasoline, autogas-powered fleets often report their vehicles require less maintenance, returning even more money to their bottom lines. Propane vehicles also achieve comparable acceleration and range to gasoline vehicles, providing officers both performance and peace of mind while out on patrol.
Running on autogas also helps law enforcement agencies do their part to protect the environment for their communities because autogas significantly reduces harmful pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions compared to gasoline and diesel. And, let’s not forget, since 90 percent of the U.S. autogas supply is made in America, autogas fleets are boosting our nation’s energy security, which is especially important in a time of skyrocketing gasoline prices.
Are you a law enforcement officer or fleet manager running on autogas? Share your experiences in the comments section. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @AllianceAutoGas for more news and views on the alternative fuel and transportation industries.
