Paratransit service commits about half of its fleet to autogas

LeeTran, a paratransit service in Fort Myers, Fla., added 15 propane autogas-fueled shuttles to its fleet this month.

According to Roush CleanTech, this addition brings the public transit agency’s propane fleet to 20. Autogas vehicles now comprise 45 percent of LeeTran’s entire paratransit fleet.

Each of the agency’s shuttles travels about 30,000 miles per year, Roush CleanTech says. The new shuttles each use a Ford E-450 chassis with a 6.8-liter V10 engine, and they come equipped with a Roush CleanTech autogas fuel system. The shuttles also include an extended 64-usable-gallon fuel tank.

Robert Southall, LeeTran’s maintenance manager, says the company pays about 50 cents per gallon on autogas compared to $1.46 per gallon for diesel. LeeTran adds that it plans to convert its entire paratransit fleet to autogas within the next five years.