How Paratransit Fleets are Lowering Costs and Emissions With Propane Autogas

As energy costs rise and emissions standards become more stringent, paratransit fleets are turning to propane autogas. Several recent studies have shown the effectiveness of propane autogas for paratransit fleets seeking to lower both emissions and operational costs while reliably meeting their performance needs. 

Land of Enchantment Clean Cities Coalition study 

In New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment Clean Cities Coalition conducted a study showing that propane autogas offers paratransit fleets lower fuel and maintenance costs compared to other energy sources. The study compared mid-sized transit buses operating on the baseline conventional unleaded gasoline and a variety of alternative fuels — propane autogas, compressed natural gas and ethanol E85, as well as electric. Over the course of two years and 38,500 miles, the study evaluated factors such as fuel economy, cost-per-mile and more. 

The results showed propane autogas reduced lifetime fuel and maintenance costs by $20,000 compared with the next best alternative fuel. The cost-per-mile for propane autogas was $0.08 cheaper than its closest alternative fuel competitor, and it was the only fuel that proved to be less expensive than the gasoline baseline. When compared to electric paratransit buses, propane autogas saved approximately $0.16 per mile and will save more than $43,000 in lifetime fuel and maintenance costs.  

As this study shows, when factoring in the cost of a new vehicle –– regardless of fuel type –– and the costs for fuel fluids, maintenance and repairs over the lifetime of the vehicle, propane autogas beats the total cost of ownership of other alternative and traditional energy sources. 

Delaware Area Rapid Transit 

Another U.S. fleet seeing similar successes with propane autogas is Delaware Area Rapid Transit (DART), which is operated by the Delaware Transit Corporation. It runs 258 Ford E-450 Super Duty propane autogas paratransit vehicles. The vehicles operate throughout the state, providing paratransit services to residents. When DART began transitioning to propane autogas, its first five vehicles collectively traveled 450,000 miles, experienced no fuel system-related failures and saved the agency $15,000 in fuel costs alone. Based on that successful test, DART has continued to add more vehicles to the fleet and is on track to transition to a 100 percent propane autogas fleet by 2030.

DART pays about 50 percent less per gallon for propane autogas compared to the price of gasoline. The agency’s propane autogas paratransit bus fleet achieves a 36 percent reduction in cost per mile, equating to 19 cents per mile for propane autogas buses versus 30 cents per mile for gasoline buses. 

Not only was DART able to reduce costs, but the agency has significantly reduced its emissions profile since adopting propane autogas vehicles, resulting in cleaner air for employees, passengers and the communities in which it operates. 

Propane autogas paratransit buses cut greenhouse gases by up to 22 percent and reduce carbon monoxide by 60 percent. For DART's fleet, each bus produces 91,000 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over the lifetime of the vehicle.  

Propane autogas’ environmental benefits 

Today's ultra-low NOx propane autogas engines reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions by 94 percent compared with diesel and are 90 percent cleaner than Environmental Protection Agency standards. The engines also produce virtually zero particulate emissions. Cutting these emissions is important for local communities because NOx and particulate matter are known to exacerbate breathing conditions like asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory issues. As cities and states adopt more stringent air quality regulations, the environmental advantages of propane autogas consistently meet or exceed these requirements.  

Beyond providing lower emissions for the community, propane autogas paratransit vehicles are also reliable and perform well in diverse weather conditions. In below freezing temperatures, propane autogas vehicles start at the turn of the key and warm up quickly. Comparatively, diesel fuel can gel during cold weather, so engines must idle to warm up and work harder to stay warm in cold weather conditions. The reliability of propane autogas ensures that paratransit services, like those provided by DART, remain consistent and uninterrupted, a critical factor for passengers who depend on these services for daily transportation.  

Paratransit fleet owners have several options when it comes to selecting an energy source, but as these studies show, propane autogas offers compelling financial and environmental advantages for fleet owners.