Sheriff Van Duncan accepted the Clean Air Excellence award during a WNCRAQA board meeting May 14 at the agency’s office in Asheville. The sheriff’s fleet is saving more than $13k annually and displacing 20 tons of greenhouse gas emissions running 10 cruisers on propane autogas since February 2012.

Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan accepts the Clean Air Excellence Award, along with Steve Whaley from Alliance AutoGas.

Buncombe County considered the reduction in the fleet’s overall carbon footprint as well as fuel cost savings and vehicle performance when it came to choosing an alternative fuel. Switching to propane autogas was an ideal choice to support the sheriff office’s mission to clean up the community and create a better environment for future generations. Autogas is significantly cleaner than gasoline or diesel, and U.S. fleets currently save upwards of $2 per gallon filling up with autogas versus gasoline.

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• Last week, Alliance AutoGas announced the addition of new Canadian partner Canwest Propane. The network now serves all of Canada with the only complete program for switching fleets to autogas.

• Here’s a great article about ROUSH CleanTech and propane autogas OEM options for fleets.

• Declines in driving is continuing to complicate vehicle taxes that fund transportation infrastructure.

• Meanwhile, a State Senator from Atlantic City is working to ensure owners of alternative-fuel vehicles fairly contribute to maintaining state bridges and roads.

• Propane autogas has been making headlines in Maine as the first autogas station in the state opened this week.

• The city of La Porte, Ind., has added to autogas-powered vehicles to its fleet.

• High gasoline prices are continuing to hit fleets like taxi cab companies.

• Halliburton just deployed 100 light-duty natural gas-powered trucks in its fleet.

• A North Carolina school bus fleet is test-driving clean autogas buses.

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“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.

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• Alliance AutoGas welcomed Ohio-based Arrick’s Propane, which will provide clean propane autogas fueling and conversions to fleets in three states.

• A dry cleaners in Georgia is the first in the Columbus area to go green with propane-powered service vehicles.

• Mississippi’s governor signed several energy bills this week, some of which are related to alternative fuel vehicles.

• The UPS fleet’s shift to more natural gas vehicles will impact regional automotive and clean fuel businesses as well.

• Metro magazine has an update on a Kansas government fleet’s conversion to autogas.

• Rutgers held an alternative fuel conference this week for industry experts to discuss the use of clean fuels to help reduce pollution and save energy.

• Colorado vehicle fleets are now required to purchase alternative fuel vehicles as part of their usual vehicle replacement programs.

• The federal government plans to double its hybrid vehicle fleet.

• The Appling County Board of Education in Georgia announced it has obtained two Blue Bird propane autogas-fueled school buses, which should save the school district around $51,000 in fuel costs over the lifetime of the vehicles.

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• Jackson Heating & Air, an HVAC company in LaGrange, Ga., is powering 20 fleet vehicles on propane autogas through Alliance AutoGas, with conversions from Force 911 and fueling from Blossman Gas.

• The American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF) says running more heavy- and light-duty vehicles on natural gas would have “minimal impact on natural gas prices.”

• The Propane Gas Association of New England held a demonstration at the state capitol Wednesday, featuring a school bus, commercial lawn mower, a truck and a bi-fuel car that run on clean propane autogas. The Shelton school district is adding 60 propane-powered buses to its fleet.

• Experts from the propane autogas and automotive industries spoke about autogas for fleets on the Detroit PBS program “Autoline” last weekend.

• A proposed bill in California would give a tax break to alternative fuel vehicles.

• State transportation officials in West Virginia state hope to solve the “chicken-or-egg” problem for natural gas vehicle fuel by converting a portion of the state’s fleet to compressed natural gas as fueling stations are built. The governor’s Natural Gas Vehicle Task Force recommends the state convert 25 percent–or 1,952 out of 7,811 fleet vehicles–to CNG within four years.

• Speaking of natural gas, UPS is adding a whopping 700 fleet vehicles that run on LNG and building four refueling stations by the end of 2014. I wonder how many more propane autogas stations and vehicle conversions they could implement for the same price tag?

• The Federal Trade Commission is getting rid of fuel economy labels as it requires automakers to disclose comparative driving range performance between alternative fuel and conventional gasoline vehicles.

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• Pinnacle Propane is expanding into Oregon with a new propane-tank servicing facility in Goshen. The new Pinnacle location is expected to create 36 jobs.

• Should the Mississippi Department of Transportation raise the gasoline tax to pay for transportation infrastructure? New Jersey is also struggling to address how it will pay to maintain roads and bridges as more drivers switch to alternative-fuel vehicles.

• Meanwhile in Virginia, Governor Bob McDonnell’s transportation plan to replace the gasoline tax with increases in the sales tax and vehicle registration fees was passed by the House on Tuesday, but the Senate has sent the plan back to committee after voting down two alternatives.

• A California GM plant dedicated to alternative-fuel vehicle technology is being relocated to Michigan.

• There’s a new propane autogas fueling station opening in California from Arro Autogas. The first of 13 autogas stations Arro plans on opening this year, the site is a public-access propane refueling station at Camping World in Newhall, Calif.

• Triblive.com profiles companies that are turning to compressed natural gas to power their fleets.

• Heads up for West Virginia alternative fuel vehicle drivers: you may be eligible for state and federal tax rebates.

• And finally, a Nebraska school district is testing out a brand new 2013 Blue Bird Vision propane autogas-powered school bus.

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• Mentioned in our blog post about propane pricing earlier this week, a Wisconsin coffee roaster is switching fleet vehicles to propane autogas with the help of Charter Fuels. Charter provides the Alliance AutoGas complete program for fleets in Wisconsin, including vehicle conversions, fueling and staff training.

• An alternative fuel vehicle conversion facility is being funded in West Virginia. Alternative Fuel Solutions received financing from INNOVA Commercialization Group for a facility to convert vehicles to run on natural gas, propane autogas, and other alternative fuels.

• More alt fuels news from West Virginia, as Kanawha County continues converting its fleet vehicles to clean fuels.

• Ford, Mercedes and Nissan have apparently “signed a technology pact to produce a car that emits nothing but water by 2017.” The three automotive powerhouses will split development costs and share decades of research in order to deploy the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles within four years.

• A school district in Montana has renewed its contract with First Student Inc. for another five years and plans to switch to new propane autogas school buses to cut cost and reduce harmful emissions.

• Indianapolis Power & Light Company is installing 26 electric vehicle charging stations for non-emergency electric plug-in vehicles in the city’s fleet. The mayor signed an executive order last December requiring the city to replace approximately 500 non-police sedans with hybrid vehicles.

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• Fontaine Modification has joined the Alliance AutoGas network to provide propane autogas vehicle conversions for fleets in eight locations across six states. The autogas modification centers are located in Garland, Texas; Denton, Texas; Laredo, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; Dublin, Va.; Gainesville, Ga.; Springfield, Ohio; and Williamstown, W.V.

• A school district in Roslyn, N.Y., has added three new propane autogas buses to cut fuel costs. This district is also adding a propane-powered van to its fleet.

• Power Solutions International, Inc., a clean tech engine supplier, has earned EPA and CARB certifications for its 2.0-Liter and 2.4-Liter spark-ignited industrial engines. The engines meet standards for off-road, large spark-ignited (LSI) engines for mobile applications running on propane autogas and natural gas.

• As it nears a milestone of awarding 500 $3,500 rebates for large-battery system plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery-electric vehicles, the Department of Environmental Protection in Pennsylvania has extended the alternative fuel vehicle rebate program. Rebates of $1,000 are offered for natural gas, propane autogas, hydrogen and fuel-cell vehicles.

• According to NGT News, Kwik Trip, Inc. has “aggressive” plans for CNG in 2013, with at least 10 state-of-the-art CNG fueling stations planned in addition to the nine it launched in the second half of 2012.

• A fleet in Southwest Virginia could save almost $47,000 annually by converting 10 buses from gasoline to propane autogas. The annual cost to operate a gasoline bus 21,500 miles per year is $9,379 versus $4,718 for an autogas-powered bus, according to figures from Alliance AutoGas.

• The City of Temple, Texas, is in the process of reviewing proposals for a CNG fueling station to serve their 14 new natural gas waste trucks. The vehicles will cost the city $3.3 million, while installing the fueling infrastructure will cost about $1.3 million.

• And finally, a fun one: automotive blog Jalopnik counts down the 10 strangest alternative fuel cars ever built.

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Also, just a heads up that this blog will take a brief hiatus over the holidays next week, but we’ll be back with all the alternative fuel and fleet industry news you’ve come to expect in the New Year. So, happy holidays, happy New Year, and we’ll see you again in 2013! Here’s what’s making headlines for the week of December 17:

• Student Transportation of America is set to purchase more than 400 propane autogas school buses from Blue Bird Corp. for Omaha Public Schools and Millard Public Schools in Nebraska.

• Alliance AutoGas welcomed new Nova Scotia-based partner Wilsons Fuel Company Ltd., which brings the Alliance complete program to vehicle fleets in Atlantic Canada.

• The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium at West Virginia University has been awarded a new grant for nearly $1 million to train first responders how to handle accidents involving alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.

• The president of Michigan Alliance AutoGas partner Crystal Flash spoke to MLive.com about the international clean fueling and conversion network.

• The Coles County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois has switched two fleet vehicles to propane autogas to save on fuel costs.

• The city of Avon Lake in Ohio is taking measures to open a regional propane autogas fuel station and possibly convert nine city vehicles to bi-fuel autogas systems.

• The new Ford Transit van will come equipped with a natural gas/liquid propane conversion kit.

• The Pound Ridge Police Department in New York state may convert cruisers to run on autogas.

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• Fleets in the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program saved $1.62 per gallon on fuel costs last quarter.

• A Georgia school district is very pleased with its propane autogas school buses–so pleased, they’re already considering adding more.

• Alternative fuel vehicles are growing in popularity with Colorado fleets.

• GE has purchased 2,000 Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrids for their fleet and will partner with Ford and researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology to study  driver habits with plug-in vehicles.

• Municipal and government fleets in Arizona are looking for ways to save money, including switching to alternative fuel vehicles like propane autogas and natural gas and taking measures for fuel efficiency.

• The police department of La Crosse, Wis., bought five new patrol cars they’re planning to convert to run on propane autogas.

• Those surveyed in the transportation sector say they’re concerned with the impact fuel price volatility will have on their businesses.

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