The 2013 National Sheriff’s Association Annual Conference is taking place in Charlotte, N.C. this week, through June 26. As law enforcement officers from around the country gather to discuss best practices and new technologies, alternative fuel vehicles are sure to be at the top of the agenda.
Propane autogas is an ideal fuel for sheriff’s fleets because it’s dependable, cost-effective and won’t affect vehicle performance. With the bi-fuel Prins VSI autogas system, used by Alliance AutoGas when converting gasoline vehicles to run on autogas, officers have increased vehicle range because the system automatically reverts to gasoline if the autogas tank runs out. Also, this versatile system is attractive for sheriff’s fleets because it can be switched from retiring vehicles to newer models with very little cost or vehicle downtime.
Running on autogas also saves fleets significantly on fuel costs–right now upwards of $1.80 per gallon versus gasoline–a savings that counties can put back into the pockets of taxpayers or other programs. And since propane autogas is a cleaner-burning fuel than gasoline, autogas vehicles require less maintenance and the engines last longer.
Alliance AutoGas has helped many sheriff’s fleets across the U.S. switch to propane autogas. Fleets such as the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office save thousands on fuel costs and reduce emissions with clean autogas cruisers. Deputies say they love the performance, reliability and ease of operating propane autogas vehicles.
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because, according to Captain Bart Humble, “autogas offers the most viable combination of an American-made clean fuel that also helps reduce our fuel budget.”
The fleet has switched 25 cruisers to clean-burning autogas so far, saving more than $11,000 in fuel costs and displacing almost 10 tons of greenhouse gas emissions within the first quarter of 2012 alone. Alliance AutoGas is converting and providing fueling solutions for a total of 65 clean cruisers, funded through the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program.
Capt. Humble says the key to his autogas program’s success has been support from the top of the City administration down to the police officers on the streets. Feedback from officers driving the alt fuel vehicles has been very positive, and they’re driving the bi-fuel Ford Crown Victorias almost exclusively on autogas. Also, Humble stressed the convenience and practicality of propane autogas versus other alternative fuels, like compressed natural gas.
“There’s no comparison between propane autogas and compressed natural gas,” says Humble. “We tested CNG vehicles when I was in another department, and the performance was not nearly like running on autogas. You had to refill every 100 miles, and the trunk space was nonexistent. With autogas vehicles, you have a very similar experience to driving traditional gasoline vehicles, and my officers can still carry around the equipment they need.”
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