Propane Autogas Technologies Win at Green Fleet Conference

WASHINGTON (October 4, 2011) - The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) today announced that the 2011 Propane Hero Award was presented to Frito-Lay North America Inc. by the Texas Propane Gas Association and Dr. Robert Cluck, the mayor of Arlington, Texas, at the Green Fleet Conference in Grapevine, Texas.

Frito-Lay’s fleet includes delivery vehicles that run on propane autogas, a domestic fuel that cuts carbon and particulate emissions and reduces operating costs. The vans are built on the Roush CleanTech Ford E-350 dual-rear-wheel cutaway chassis, part of a line of propane autogas products developed with funding from PERC.

Conference attendees had the opportunity to hear fleet operators speak about their experiences with fleet vehicles fueled by propane autogas. A panel discussion moderated by PERC featured Tom Armstrong of ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Michael Baessler of American Residential Services, and Wayne Corum from the City of Fort Worth, Texas. Todd Mouw of Roush CleanTech also spoke during the session.

PERC’s Propane Autogas Pavilion displayed the ease of refueling capabilities and both on- and off-road uses of the alternative fuel, including a 2009 GMC 3500 cutaway with service body and propane autogas dispenser from CleanFuel USA; a 2012 Ferris/Snapper Pro propane-fueled commercial lawn mower from Briggs & Stratton; and a commercial mower provided by Heritage Propane and Metro Lawn.

Yesterday, attendees test-drove vehicles fueled by propane autogas and a propane-fueled commercial mower during the conference’s ride-and-drive event to experience their power, performance, and ease of operation. The featured products included a 2009 bi-fuel Chevy Silverado, supplied by Ferrellgas; a 2011 GMC Sierra truck from Alliance AutoGas; a 2008 Ford F-150 and a 2011 Ford F-250 from Heritage Propane; and a 2012 Ferris/Snapper Pro commercial mower provided by Briggs & Stratton.

“This two-day event is jam-packed with opportunities for fleet managers to really grasp all that propane autogas technologies have to offer toward reducing a fleet’s carbon footprint while maintaining vehicle integrity and saving businesses money,” said Steve Wayne, PERC’s chief commercial officer.

PERC consultant Greg Zilberfarb received today a Sustainable All-Star award from Green Fleet magazine for his industry commitment, innovative marketing strategies, and webinar training programs to help commercialize propane autogas technologies.

With its economic savings and emissions reduction, propane autogas is already the most widely used alternative fuel on roads today in the United States. Worldwide, more than 15 million vehicles run on propane autogas. Thousands of propane fueling stations across the United States make the fuel readily available. For more information about vehicles fueled by propane autogas and propane-fueled commercial mowers, visit www.autogasusa.org.