• AOL’s Autobloggreen wrote about how Alliance AutoGas is helping to expand the network of propane autogas stations in the U.S.

• The lawn and landscaping team for the national mall in Washington D.C. just gained six new clean propane autogas mowers.

• DIRECTV plans to expand its propane autogas vehicle fleet over the next year.

• U.S. Sen. Bob Casey outlined legislation Monday that would add more alternative fuel stations along U.S. highways.

• Legislation sponsored by New Jersey Senators Bob Smith and Linda R. Greenstein was approved in the Senate to help the state’s transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles.

• A Wisconsin Alliance AutoGas partner and fleet customer has increased its clean fleet to 10 propane service vans, with fuel supply and support from Charter Fuels.

• Finally, listen to Autogas for America founder and Alliance AutoGas President Stuart Weidie discuss why propane autogas is an ideal fuel for fleets.

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

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.

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

• The Alternative Clean Transportation conference and exhibition is being held June 24-27 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and Embassy Suites in Washington D.C. The Expo Hall is free and open to the public June 26-27. Alliance AutoGas president and CEO Stuart Weidie will speak as part of a panel on alternative fuel infrastructure Wednesday afternoon. His presentation, “The Cost-Effectiveness of Propane Autogas Refueling Infrastructure, Present and Future,” will offer expert insight on how fleets can switch to clean fuel at little to no upfront cost.

• A Lead The Way propane autogas event is scheduled for the afternoon of Monday, June 24 by the Propane Education & Research Council, an ACT Expo presenting sponsor. Mike Barrett, regional maintenance director of Veolia Transportation, will share his firsthand hand experience with switching a nationwide taxi fleet to autogas through Alliance AutoGas, as part of the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program. The Clean Cities Annual Stakeholders Event is also being held that day.

• As we’ve mentioned previously, the Georgia Alternative Fuel Vehicle Roadshow is traveling around this month, with stops this week in Savannah, Augusta, Valdosta and Columbus. Fleets interested in learning more about a variety of domestic clean fuel options should attend a roadshow to learn from the experts and test drive a vehicle.

• The 2013 National Sheriff’s Association Annual Conference is being held June 20-26 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. Law enforcement officers from across the country will gather to learn the latest trends and technologies available, including clean fuel vehicles powered by propane autogas.

• June 20 also marks the kicks off the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program’s Propane Autogas Roadshow series. The first roadshow is being held in Montgomery, Ala., and is free and open to the public, with registration. Hosted by the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, participants include Alliance AutoGas, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, PERC, as well as propane-powered fleets such as Lewis Pest Control, Lee County and Community Counseling Services. Industry experts will discuss operating both vehicle fleets and lawn and landscape equipment on clean, affordable propane autogas.

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

• An Oregon sheriff fleet expects to save thousands with 10 new propane cruisers.

• The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Roadshow is making its way through Georgia over the next couple of weeks, featuring vehicles that run on propane autogas, natural gas, biofuels and electricity.

• The Flint Mass Transportation Authority is working with Crystal Flash, which is part of Alliance AutoGas, to switch 57 buses to run on autogas. They hope to have 92 clean buses by the fall.

• States are increasingly hitting owners of alternative fuel vehicles with extra taxes to offset decreasing gasoline tax revenues.

• A conference in Houston, Texas, this week focused on alternative fuel fleets.

• The largest school district in Arizona will have nearly 90 propane-powered buses in its fleet soon. According to School Transportation News: “The district said it is saving more than $0.37 per mile in operating costs and with the new buses expects to save $4.43 million in total operating costs over a five-year period.”

• The price for used Nissan Leafs is expected to fall.

• This Forbes article poses the question: should we be turning natural gas into gasoline?

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

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office will reduce its fuel costs by more than $20,000 annually with the new propane-powered patrol cars. Conversions and fueling are provided through Alliance AutoGas, with West Coast flagship fuel provider Blue Star Gas at the helm. Converted vehicles include seven Ford Crown Victorias, two Chevy Tahoes and one Ford F-350 pickup truck.

Sergeant Mark Garton of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said they were looking for a way to save money on the fuel costs since patrol cars average almost 25,000 miles each year. Now, not only will officers save money on fuel costs at the pump, there’s also a 50-cent-per-gallon federal alternative fuel tax credit that will go back into the pocket of the county–and back to services that benefit taxpayers.

Deputies haven’t detected any loss in vehicle performance with the propane-powered cruisers, and they’re also enjoying the versatility offered by the bi-fuel Prins VSI autogas system Alliance AutoGas uses for vehicle conversions.

“The ability to switch back to gasoline is a tremendous option for our fleet because in an emergency situation, we not only have a full tank of propane but also a backup full tank of gasoline,” said Sergeant Garton.

For more first-hand fleet testimonials from other propane autogas fleets, visit the Alliance AutoGas website.

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

• Experts from Alliance AutoGas and ROUSH CleanTech recently spoke with a couple Georgia city and county governments about the benefits of running vehicles on propane autogas.

• The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition is teaming up once again with the team from the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program to present a propane autogas roadshow June 20 in Montgomery.

• How is FedEx reducing its fuel use and emissions?

• A GE Capital Fleet Services survey finds that driver safety is a number one concern among fleet managers.

• Propane autogas vehicle technology was in the spotlight at last week’s Police Fleet Expo in Fort Worth, Texas. Operating on autogas can save law enforcement fleets thousands on fuel costs annually, in addition to the increased vehicle range offered with bi-fuel autogas systems.

• A California transit fleet has introduced new hybrid diesel electric buses to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

• A city in Alabama is switching to biodiesel fuel to power heavy equipment, and expects to save $10k per year in tax credits for using alternative fuel.

• Meanwhile, the Wilmington International Airport has saved about 8 percent on energy costs by greening its operations, including running mowers on clean propane.

• An alternative fuel roadshow is headed to Georgia from 9 a.m.-noon June 13 at Savannah Technical College.

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

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.

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

• 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.

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

Sun Ray was the first business in the Columbus area to invest in more eco-friendly dry cleaning methods, and now it’s the first dry cleaners locally to operate autogas vehicles. The new autogas vans will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful pollutants, they will help reduce the fleet’s fuel costs as well.

Alliance AutoGas provides fleets everything they need to launch and maintain a successful propane autogas program, from vehicle conversions and on-site fuel station installation, to staff safety training, ongoing technical support and a reliable year-round fuel supply. Sun Ray Dry Cleaners joins many other fleets in Georgia that have switched to autogas through the Alliance program, such as the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, which has converted more than 30 patrol cruisers to propane autogas.

Propane autogas is the most widely used alternative fuel in the world, powering 18 million vehicles globally. Autogas is more affordable than gasoline, produces significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions and 98 percent of the U.S. autogas supply is made in America. Fleets operating on propane autogas are currently saving upwards of $2 per gallon on fuel versus gasoline.

Sun Ray Dry Cleaners is a full-service dry cleaners and laundry with eight locations across the Columbus area. In addition to dry cleaning and hand-cleaning services, Sun Ray offers leather and suede cleaning, rain proofing, shirt laundering, wash/dry/fold services, and wedding gown and memorabilia preservation. Visit www.sunraycleaners.com for more information.

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

There are approximately 160,000 propane auto­gas vehicles on our nation’s roads and highways, making autogas the most widely used alternative fuel for transportation in the U.S. That is some­thing to be proud of. So is its impressive safety record.

While vehicles fueled by propane autogas have a long history of performing safely under all operating condi­tions, some people have the perception that these vehicles are more dangerous than traditional gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. That perception is inaccurate.

When it comes to the transportation of children, school fleet directors know that propane autogas school buses are the safe choice. That’s because propane autogas school buses have bracket systems that help hold the fuel tank in place. In school buses, propane fuel tanks are located between the bus frame rails, providing added protection to the tank and thereby increasing the safety of the passengers.

School buses that run on propane autogas meet all con­ventional bus safety standards, plus additional standards required for alternative-fuel vehicles.

Propane autogas engine fuel systems in all types of vehicles are fitted with safety devices and shut-off valves that function automatically if the fuel line ruptures. All tanks are equipped with a valve — or combination of valves — in the liquid outlet connection that has manual shut-off, excess flow, and automatic closure features. The valve assembly prevents the flow of fuel when the engine is not operating, even if the ignition switch is in the ON posi­tion. The vehicle pressure relief valve must be vented to the outside of the vehicle, and all fittings must be vented to the outside if the tank is in an enclosed area, such as a trunk.

It’s Not Hollywood

Propane autogas tanks are 20 times as puncture-resis­tant as gasoline tanks, so they are more durable in a collision. They can also withstand up to four times as much pressure as a gaso­line tank. Propane containers are much less vulnerable to puncture than moviemakers would have us believe. James Bond, for instance, causes an explosion by shooting a propane tank using his 9mm hand­gun in “Casino Royale.” But tests show that it doesn’t work that way in real life, as an episode of the television show “Myth Busters” makes clear (the segment is avail­able for viewing on YouTube).

Another safety feature of propane autogas is that it requires a much higher temperature to ignite. Gasoline and diesel fuel will catch fire at temperatures as low as 495ºF, whereas autogas requires a temperature of at least 920ºF to ignite. The chart below illustrates the flammabil­ity range of propane autogas and other fuels.

Many organizations develop and implement codes, standards, and regulations for the safe use of vehicles that run on propane autogas. The regulations are con­stantly reviewed, updated, and improved to ensure that all new vehicles and vehicle technologies are as safe as possible.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is responsible for rules governing vehicle tanks and piping. As an example, the tanks in all vehicles fueled by autogas are constructed from carbon steel in accordance with a code developed by ASME. The National Fire Protection Association also develops and implements codes and stan­dards for propane autogas storage systems, dispensing sta­tions, and vehicle systems.

Propane autogas is indeed a safe fuel when properly stored, transported, handled, and used. Several factors help ensure its safety: the fuel’s natural properties; the quality construction of fuel system components; stringent codes and regulations; and the industry’s extensive train­ing and safety-awareness programs.

Darren Engle is director of marketing for Blue Star Gas, which serves Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. Blue Star Gas is advancing the use of pro­pane autogas, and is a member of Alliance AutoGas. Engle serves as chairman of the Propane Education & Research Council’s Research & Technology Working Group, and travels the country training fleet managers of both private and public entities on the economic, safety, and environmental benefits of propane autogas.