Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904
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11 APRIL 2014 BUS OPS togas infrastructure is a major concern for operations, therefore, the company urges interested operators to reach out to fuel- ing suppliers as part of its initial informa- tion gathering. "Typically when we go and meet with the customer, we explain what our tech- nology does, our relationship with Ford, how we will support them, and then, give them contact information for companies, such as Amerigas, that can answer their questions related to fueling and infra- structure," says Mouw. "We like to do that initially, so we can make sure the customer has all of their issues and concerns ad- dressed up front and move forward in the process with confi dence." Fueling Advantages Mouw explains the benefi ts of a fl eet switching to propane are mostly eco- nomic, with the current cost of propane autogas coming in very close to $2 less per gallon equivalent compared to diesel and gasoline. Although there is an ap- proximate 15% decrease in mileage per gallon compared with diesel or gasoline, he adds public transportation or airport fl eets that have switched to propane au- togas typically realize fi nancial savings in about 18 months. Additionally, propane autogas is sourced domestically and can sig- nifi cantly reduce emissions, with 12% less carbon dioxide, about 20% less nitrogen oxide, up to 25% less greenhouse gases and up to 60% less carbon monoxide than gasoline-pow- ered vehicles. Mouw adds ROUSH's propane-pow- ered cutaways are Altoona-tested, which enables public transportation agencies to purchase the vehicles using Federal Tran- sit Administration grant funding. Rohraff explains that although the City is not able to provide documenta- tion, its propane use is paying off: the City has saved approximately $1.25 per gallon since beginning its program. He also adds it has made an impact on the maintenance of its vehicles. "The one huge advantage that gets overlooked is we have been able to in- crease our preventive maintenance from 4,000 to 5,000 miles to more like 8,000 to 10,000 miles," he says. "The big reason we have been able to do that is because pro- pane burns much cleaner so there is less wear and tear." Currently, the City is planning on re- placing its remaining Community Transit fl eet with propane-powered vehicles as they reach their retirement age. Rohraff also explains the City has spoken to ROUSH about the possibility of expand- ing its usage of propane to other types of vehicles, such as dump trucks. "We have really moved out of the pi- lot phase of this program," says Rohraff. "I don't see it going away anytime soon, unless something happens with propane from a pricing standpoint." A11 Currently, Livonia has four ROUSH CleanTech Ford E-450 Cutaway buses that are used for its Community Transit system. M E T 4 B u s O p s _ p r o p a n e . i n d d A 1 1 MET4BusOps_propane.indd A11 3 / 1 8 / 1 4 1 1 : 0 2 A M 3/18/14 11:02 AM