Major FL Transit, LeeTran, Ups Propane Use in Paratransit Fleet
Looking to go even more green, a major Florida-based transit, LeeTran, has added more propane autogas-fueled shuttles to its paratransit fleet this month.
These new vehicles increase the public transit agency’s propane fleet to 20, or 45 percent of its entire paratransit fleet.
“We are converting our vehicles to operate on propane autogas for a number of reasons. It’s an American made fuel with significant environmental benefits; converting to propane infrastructure is more affordable; and propane autogas offers lower fuels prices,” said Robert Southall, maintenance manager of LeeTran, the public transit provider for Lee County.
Indeed economics does play a role, along with reduced environmental impact. He noted, “Currently, we are paying about 50 cents per gallon for propane autogas compared to about $1.46 for diesel, which is on the rise.”
LeeTran provides approximately 4 million rides per year, including over 100,000 passenger trips through its Passport service. The propane autogas paratransit shuttles will be used for shared ride, advanced reservation trips for persons with disabilities who are unable to use regular fixed route public transportation.
Each of the agency’s Passport shuttles, which travel 30,000 miles per year, is built on the Ford E-450 chassis with 6.8L V10 engine, and equipped with a ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas fuel system with extended range 64-usable-gallon fuel tank.
By fueling with propane autogas, LeeTran is eliminating 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide over the shuttles’ lifetime, compared to conventionally fueled counterparts.
Looking ahead, the agency plans to switch its entire paratransit fleet to propane autogas within the next five years.
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