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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]]>With 24 autogas vehicles, Spotsylvania County will save approximately $70,000 in fuel costs each year, while also displacing more than 60 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
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Iowa County Sheriff Steve Michek and Josh Budworth of Charter Fuels
Alliance AutoGas certified conversion center Fox Valley Truck converted Iowa County’s 2010 Ford Crown Victoria as part of the complete Alliance program for fleets. The vehicle currently refuels at the Charter Fuels autogas station in Cobb, Wis., but as the County converts more vehicles to autogas in the future, Alliance AutoGas will install a convenient on-site fuel station for deputies.
“We first started looking into alternative fuel when we thought gasoline prices were high—and it’s a good thing, because they’re even higher now,” said Sheriff Steve Michek. “Propane autogas saves us about $1.50 per gallon on fuel costs, and in the long run we’ll save on oil changes and overall maintenance costs because it’s a cleaner technology. The deputy who drives the vehicle has even noticed a slight improvement in vehicle performance driving on autogas.”
Josh Budworth of Charter Fuels, who worked directly with Sheriff Michek to coordinate the vehicle conversion and fueling, said, ““Iowa County is already experiencing significant cost savings with their new clean autogas cruiser, which also helps improve the air quality in their community.”
The Iowa County Sheriff’s Office is just one of an increasing number of U.S. fleets discovering the financial and environmental benefits of clean-burning propane autogas. As more fleets are able to get running on autogas at little-to-no upfront cost while also reducing their fuel budgets and cutting emissions, autogas will continue to play a vital role in America’s energy future.
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