Delaware transit company strengthens commitment to propane autogas

Delaware Transit Corp. plans to purchase 130 propane autogas-fueled paratransit buses by 2018. Photo courtesy of Roush CleanTech.

Delaware Transit Corp. (DTC) plans to commit a fleet of 130 propane autogas-fueled paratransit buses for its DART paratransit service by 2018.

DTC tested five propane autogas paratransit buses during a two-year pilot program. The company decided to purchase 50 more autogas buses for its fleet this year, and it plans to purchase an additional 75 autogas buses by 2018. The 130 propane autogas buses would make up nearly half of the company’s fleet.

“Our first five propane-fueled buses collectively traveled 450,000 miles with no fuel system-related failures,” says John Sisson, DTC’s CEO. “This saved $15,000 in fuel costs alone. That, combined with the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, made it an easy decision to expand the propane program with our new private fuel stations and 130 buses by 2018.”

Delaware Transit Corp. (DTC) opened an autogas fueling station in New Castle, Del. From left: Joe Thompson, president of Roush CleanTech; Jennifer Cohan, Delaware Department of Transportation secretary; Bob Zola, president of Sharp Energy; John Sisson, CEO of DTC. Photo courtesy of Roush CleanTech.

The vehicles are built on the Ford E-450 chassis with a 6.8-liter V10 engine, equipped with a Roush CleanTech propane autogas fuel system. Roush CleanTech also helped DTC install its propane autogas refueling infrastructure.

DTC hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 3 in New Castle, Del., for one of its two new propane autogas fueling stations, which include Superior Energy Systems-designed dispensers. Sharp Energy, a subsidiary of Chesapeake Utilities Corp., will provide the fuel supply for DTC’s paratransit buses. The company will also provide technical and maintenance support for the vehicles and fueling stations.