'New Generation' Propane Bus Arrives in Tyler
by L. Krantz - December 28, 2006
The City of Tyler has added a “new generation” propane bus to its Tyler Transit fleet.
The bus arrived outfitted with the new system last week. It uses a new type of technology that promises improved performance, better gas mileage, fewer repair issues and of course, being propane, a cleaner-burning domestic fuel.
The bus was actually one of the City’s existing propane buses that the state paid to have converted to this new “Parnell” propane system. The engine starts on gasoline and then automatically converts to using the propane.
“The potential is really great, and if the first few months of testing go well we will have the other two propane buses converted to this new system,” Tyler Transit Manager Norman Schenck said. “The first conversion was done in Scottsdale, Ariz., but the next one will be done in Dallas at a Ford dealership that has been trained on this system.”
The City of Tyler currently has several alternative fuel vehicles including a natural gas Honda Civic used by Tyler Transit and two Toyota Prius cars used by Traffic Enforcement officers.
“We are always looking at new technology and more fuel-efficient vehicles to help meet our needs,” City of Tyler Fleet Administrator Russ Jackson said. “This is one vehicle configuration that we are testing out to see how it performs under the conditions we have here.”
Propane-Powered Fleets
Today propane is the market leader in alternative fuels for the automotive sector and powers more than 4 million vehicles in more than 38 countries. The reason is clear. Propane provides fleet managers with a cost-effective, clean, safe and reliable alternative fuel.
A Healthy Environment
The U.S. Department of Energy projects that propane will be the leading alternative vehicle fuel in the 21st century. Local government and private sector fleets will soon be required to purchase alternative-fueled cars and trucks in an effort to reduce harmful emissions from fossil fuels - the leading source of air pollution in the United States.
Tests conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show that propane vehicles can produce 30 percent to 90 percent less carbon monoxide and about 50 percent fewer toxics and other smog-producing emissions than gasoline engines.
Propane is listed as an approved alternative fuel in the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
The Orange County, California Transit Authority's mass transit buses currently have engines modified to run on propane. Recent tailpipe emissions tests comparing compressed natural gas (CNG) with propane showed that propane is 87 percent lower in total hydrocarbons, 50 percent lower in nitrogen oxides and 40 percent lower in particulate matter.
Propane Performance
Of all the alternative fuels available, propane offers the best mix of vehicle driving range, durability and performance.
Many fleets have reported 2 to 3 years longer service life and extended intervals between required maintenance. Spark plugs from a propane vehicle last from 80,000 to 100,000 miles and propane engines can last 2 to 3 times longer than gasoline or diesel engines.
Propane vehicles have the longest driving range of all clean-burning fuels.
The Bottom Line
Propane costs in fleets typically range from 5 percent to 30 percent less than those of gasoline.
The smaller size of propane tanks relative to CNG tanks results in valuable added capacity and lighter weight loads, which translate directly to savings for fleet managers.
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