- Fleet Name: Gaston County Public Works
- Domicile site: Gastonia, NC
- Service area: Gaston County, NC
- Fleet purpose: The converted vehicles are for public works, parks and recreation, sheriff’s office transportation vehicles, sheriff’s office administration, and Gaston County Access transportation vehicles.
- Alternative fuel or technology: Liquid propane gas vehicle conversions. LPG burns cleaner in vehicles, thus reducing wear and tear on engines and thus reducing maintenance needed on internal parts.
- About the alt-fuel supplier: Alliance AutoGas is “the nation’s only complete program to help fleets shift from gasoline to autogas”. They assist with conversions from beginning to end, as well as provide ongoing support to ensure success.
- When started: The first 16 conversations happened in 2013 and an additional 8 vehicles were converted later on. The project concluded in June 2015.
- Financials: The initial 16 LPG conversions were funded through the Clean Fuels Alternative Technology grant. He expects the systems to last through two full vehicle lifespans, which will increase cost savings.
- Leadership: Michael Lee was the project coordinator and is from the Gaston County Public Works Department.
Vision: Lee has mentioned that Gaston County is still interested in applying for future grants that would continue to allow for vehicle conversion. They are encouraged by the data collected thus far which exemplifies the benefits of alternative fuels for both the environment and government. Lee says, “not only are we helping to reduce harmful vehicle emissions in the EPA non-attainment area that we live in, but we are saving Gaston County citizens thousands of dollars a year in reduced fueling costs. We have been fortunate to have received grant funding for all of our nearly 40 LPG conversions, but even without grant funding, the quick payback for the conversions would be still very attractive. I also can’t say enough about our partnership with Alliance Autogas and Blossman Services. They have been a solid partner in our efforts to implement LPG autogas in our fleet.” Read the full article here.