“By using American-made clean fuels for transportation, we can reduce the supply disruption and price volatility that come with reliance on foreign oil,” says Stuart Weidie, founder of Autogas for America and president of Alliance AutoGas. “Improving national security and stabilizing the cost of transportation is a critical next step for America’s growth. Propane autogas is a proven fuel that can help to meet our country’s transportation needs. It’s American made, cost $1.50 less per gallon than gasoline, and it’s immensely practical for America’s transportation sector–all while reducing harmful emissions by 30 percent compared to gasoline.”

Check out the full video below, and be sure to visit the Alliance AutoGas YouTube channel to learn more about propane autogas for fleets.

Follow us on Twitter or like our page on Facebook for the latest news affecting your fleet or the alternative fuel industry.

One thing’s for certain: I think we all know it’s going to be all-election news all the time today. Luckily, there are many interesting interactive activities to keep you occupied and plugged-in to this national event. The Wall Street Journal is asking readers to share their election-day photos on Instagram or Twitter by using hashtag #WSJvote. More of a video person? YouTube wants your election-day videos, too! You can post them on YouTube, tweet them to @YouTubePolitics or include #YouTubePolitics in the video title.

USA Today has an Electoral Vote Tracker tool that allows you to craft various routes to victory for each candidate. CNET provides a roundup of three election-day apps to help you stay on top the the latest developments–or, in some cases, just offers a roleplaying game that “pits Obama and Romney in a virtual slugfest.” Facebook is also gearing up for an election day “blitz” of features, which will include sending out messages to users’ smartphones and showing a real-time map of their voting activity.

Perhaps you want to go the other way; you’ve voted early and you want to avoid all election activity. The Washington Post has you covered with eight ways to escape election day insanity.

If you haven’t voted yet, it’s easier than ever to educate yourself beforehand by checking your local newspaper’s website or visiting Vote411.org from the League of Women Voters. This helpful site offers personalized voting information, including a handy guide that outlines all the issues at hand, even tailored to your local community. Happy voting!

Follow us on Twitter or like our page on Facebook for the latest developments affecting your fleet or the alternative fuel industry.

• As we blogged about on Tuesday, the Sandy Springs, Ga., police fleet has saved thousands and displaced nearly 10 tons of greenhouse gas emissions after switching to propane autogas.

• A recent survey of fleets found that half would consider natural gas-powered trucks, but that “90% are concerned about higher vehicle purchase prices.”

• The California state fleet reduced its petroleum consumption by 13 percent compared to 2003.

• The Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program is partnering with the Mississippi Development Authority for a Propane Autogas Roadshow in Jackson next month. Featured experts include Alliance AutoGas, ROUSH CleanTech, the Propane Education & Research Council, the Mississippi Propane Gas Association, as well as Program fleets from the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office and Community Counseling Services.

• The governor of Wyoming presented a federal energy policy proposal to the public this week. According to the article, “the policy calls for state control of the energy industry to be prioritized, an increase in energy production and a reversal of several measures supported by the Obama administration, especially relating to fossil fuels.”

• As Hurricane Isaac wreaks havoc on the Gulf Coast, gasoline prices jumped five cents yesterday to $3.80, “the highest ever for this date.”

Follow us @AllianceAutoGas on Twitter and like our Facebook page for daily updates!

For fleets looking to make the transition to alternative fuel, there’s no better way than through a streamlined program that covers everything from vehicle conversions to fueling to safety training and technical support. The Alliance AutoGas complete program for fleets provides an autogas education for in-house technicians and drivers, as well as the technical, safety and ongoing support fleets need to be successful as they make the switch to clean propane autogas. This includes:

• Operational training for drivers and other personnel
  

  An Alliance AutoGas maintenance training session

• Autogas safety training for operators, drivers, technicians and other personnel
• Autogas fueling training for drivers and other personnel
• Any necessary maintenance training
• For larger fleets, Alliance AutoGas certified conversion technicians can also train in-house mechanical teams to perform conversions

Check out the Alliance AutoGas website to learn more about just how easy it is for fleets to get running on affordable, American-made autogas.

Follow us @AllianceAutoGas on Twitter and like our Facebook page for daily alternative fuel and fleet industry updates.

• The U.S. Department of Energy is providing $5 million in funding to encourage adoption of alternative fuel vehicle technology.

• Alliance AutoGas partner Charter Fuels is featured in Work Truckmagazine for
  

  Josh Budworth of Charter Fuels discusses clean propane autogas technology.

  their participation in a Milwaukee Green Vehicles Workshop. Josh Budworth of Charter Fuels showcased a propane autogas-powered 2011 Ford F-150 and spoke on a panel about alternative fuels such as propane autogas, natural gas, ethanol and electricity.

• A Georgia public service commissioner is encouraging state business leaders and other government officials to convert vehicles to run on clean fuels like propane autogas.

• Is your fleet battling high gasoline prices? This blog explores how alternative fuel vehicles can save small businesses on fuel costs.

• Part of the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program roadshow series, the North Carolina Propane Autogas Roadshow rolled through Asheville at the famed Biltmore Estate last week. The event featured many Program fleet success stories, such as the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, which is saving over $53,000 annually on fuel costs with 10 autogas cruisers.

This conference is jam-packed with information for fleet owners and managers interested in switching to alternative fuel, whether to save money on fuel costs or drive cleaner. From heavy-duty trucking to light-duty vehicle fleets, domestic fuels like propane autogas and to electric vehicle technology, the ACT Expo provides a wealth of informative sessions to help fleet operators make the most cost-effective choice when it comes to adopting green vehicles.

Representatives from propane autogas industry organizations Alliance AutoGas partner Blue Star Gas, ROUSH CleanTech and the Propane Education and Research Council will be on hand to discuss how autogas can help fleets cut costs and emissions, while the VP of Schwan’s Home Service is set to speak about their company’s massive propane autogas fleet rollout.

Visit the ACT Expo website for more information, including a complete event agenda and a list of free training sessions, including Propane Autogas 101.

As the ACT Expo website asks: “What role will your fleet, fuel, vehicle, or technology play in the shift towards alternative fuels?”

Be sure to follow @AllianceAutoGas for the latest news affecting your fleet.

• Pinnacle Propane has joined the national Alliance AutoGas network to bring clean propane vehicle conversions and fueling to fleets in the Southwest U.S. and Arkansas. “The addition of Pinnacle Propane to the Alliance AutoGas partner network is a big step toward reaching our objective of completely covering the lower 48,” said Alliance AutoGas President Stuart Weidie.

• Weidie also spoke out this week against North Carolina’s possible natural gas vehicle mandate, which would require all public school buses and half the Department of Transportation’s truck fleet to run on CNG. See our post from Tuesday.

• Meanwhile, Louisiana lawmakers have taken steps to encourage propane autogas dispensing devices at fuel stations throughout the state. The House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works has sent a bill to the floor that would promote widespread use of autogas in Louisiana. State law currently prohibits the general use of self-service pumps for propane.

• The Colorado state Senate approved a bill making it easier to implement refueling and recharging stations for natural gas and electric vehicles in the state, “by allowing electric vehicle charging stations, natural gas and propane sold without being regulated by the state Public Utility Commission.”

• In a time of skyrocketing gasoline prices and shrinking budgets, the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program is continuing to help American fleets switch to affordable, domestically produced alternative fuel. The next event in their propane autogas roadshow series is next Thursday at the world-famous Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Click here to RSVP to the May 3 roadshow.

• TorqueNews examines how fleet owners and managers today are “greening” their vehicles to reduce their carbon footprints and promote corporate sustainability.

Be sure to follow @AllianceAutoGas for the latest news affecting your fleet.

• The Bobit Business Media magazines: Automotive Fleet, Green Fleet, Government Fleet, Business Fleet and Work Truck. Whether your interest is cutting-edge clean fuel technology or increasing fleet productivity, these publications have you covered with the latest news from every segment of the fleet industry.

• Fleet Owner: With a focus on our nation’s commercial trucking fleets, Fleet Owner magazine provides must-have information on fleet management topics such as fuel, equipment, clean technology, safety, regulations and more.

• Fleets & Fuels: This is a bi-weekly publication with a focus on alternative technology vehicles and the fuels that drive them, such as natural gas, propane autogas, hydrogen and EVs.

• Domestic Fuel: A one-stop website for all the news you need to know about alternative fuels and renewable energy in America today.

• AutoblogGreen: This blog is an offshoot of AOL’s Autoblog, and covers green car goings-on from across the country and around the world, from electric vehicles to propane autogas fleets.

• Greentech Media: A website that focuses on a wide variety of green technology news, including solar, smart grids, wind energy, biofuels and energy efficiency and management.

• NGTNews (Next-Gen Transportation): NGTNews features the latest updates on fuel and equipment for fleet professionals. According to their website, they strive “to give stakeholders insight into the rapidly changing landscape related to vehicles, fueling infrastructure, fuel supply and equipment development.”

• Light & Medium Truck: This publication provides information for business professionals charged with the day-to-day management of light- or medium-duty fleets.

• Fleet Solutions: From the folks at NAFA (National Association of Fleet Administrators), Fleet Solutions offers an in-depth look at the issues that affect fleet owners and managers.

• Commercial Carrier Journal: Geared toward America’s private, for hire, utility and specialty fleets, Commercial Carrier Journal covers industry trends, vehicle maintenance, safety tips and new technology.

• Fleet Maintenance: What fleet maintenance managers of light-, medium- and heavy-duty fleets read to keep their vehicles operating efficiently with minimal downtime.

• NYTimes.com “Wheels” blog: From the automotive staff at the New York Times, Wheels delivers national transportation and automobile coverage, from breaking news to feature stories.

• FuelFix.com: The Houston Chronicle’s energy blog will keep you informed on the very latest in the energy industry.

• SmartPlanet: This CBS Interactive website segments environmental news and commentary by industry, such as business, technology and energy. SmartPlanet keeps readers in the know about energy policy, innovations in clean tech and even some quirky inventions on the horizon.

Note: our Twitter feed also has some interesting stuff from around the interwebs, if I do say so myself.

Here’s what’s up in the energy and alt fuel world:

• The U.S. Senate is set to debate a bill that would end subsidies and tax breaks for Big Oil. The sponsor of the bill noted that the top five oil producers collectively earned over $1 trillion over the past 10 years.
• New EPA regulations on greenhouse gas emissions for medium- and heavy-duty trucks are beginning to impact fleets’ purchasing and budgeting decisions. Newer big trucks running on natural gas or biodiesel can cost over $500,000. But, many public fleet managers believe it’ll be worth it in the long run.
• Miss. Governor Phil Bryant stood side-by-side with T. Boone Pickens last week to tout the importance of natural gas to the state’s energy policy. Curiously, there was no mention of propane autogas, despite being an affordable and American-made fuel.
• UPDATE: The EPA has just announced its final rule for greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the first of its kind. Read more here.

• Alliance AutoGas welcomed two new partners to its national network getting America’s fleets running on autogas: Maine Energy and Parker Gas.

• Charter Fuels is helping Wisconsin fleets combat high gasoline prices with propane autogas conversions and fueling, also through the Alliance AutoGas complete program.

• According to an Associated Press “fact check” article, more oil drilling hasn’t lowered the price of gasoline.

• Mike Antich over at Business Fleet magazine wonders whether fuel will overtake depreciation to become the top expense for fleets.

• Looks like the administration has moved to fast-track an oil pipeline from Oklahoma to Texas.

• The House has defeated a $109 billion transportation bill passed in the Senate last week.

• And finally, will you be joining us at the Propane Clean Air Rally & Autogas Parade? The propane industry is celebrating 100 years of clean, efficient energy by featuring autogas vehicles, which will be available for test drives. See you in Atlanta April 14!

Follow @AllianceAutoGas or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/allianceautogas.