When the price of gasoline falls as it has recently, we tend to forget the pain of $4 fuel prices. But the fact remains that fleets and drivers nationwide are negatively impacted every time the price of oil goes up. When gasoline prices skyrocket, businesses may be forced to cut jobs and public agencies may have to reduce services. If we were less dependent on foreign oil, it would lower the price we pay for vehicle fuel and help avoid the repercussions of gasoline price shocks.

Switching more U.S. fleets to run on domestic alternative fuels will have a positive impact on more than just the environment–it will also enhance our national energy security by decreasing our dependence on foreign oil. Ninety-eight percent of the U.S. supply of propane autogas is made right here in America, so fleets running on this affordable clean fuel are creating American jobs while doing their part to ensure our future energy independence.

Fleets that run on American-made autogas pay at least $1.25 per gallon less than gasoline at the pump, significantly reduce harmful pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, all while running on a dependable, high-performance fuel. And for businesses and municipalities that rely heavily on fleet transportation, autogas is more affordable to implement compared to other domestic clean fuels. (The Alliance AutoGas website offers a helpful side-by-side comparison of autogas vs. compressed natural gas, which illustrates exactly why autogas is a more attractive option for fleets looking to switch to alternative fuel at little-to-no upfront cost.) The affordability of autogas infrastructure and vehicle conversions makes it a vital resource to jumpstart widespread alternative fuel adoption for America’s fleets.

There are more than 2,500 autogas fueling stations already in place throughout the U.S. (and growing), and fleets across the country are already deploying thousands of autogas vehicles each year. Autogas may not be the only answer to power our nation’s fleets, but—as the most cost-effective fuel on the market that’s widely available, now—autogas will play a major role in making our dependence on imported oil a problem of the past.