USPS contractor Nicholas Trucking adds propane autogas vehicles

November 1, 2023 By Danielle Pesta

Photo courtesy of the Propane Education & Research Council

Nicholas Trucking plans to invest in more propane-powered trucks by using the cost savings from the propane trucks in use now. (Photo courtesy of the Propane Education & Research Council)

Nicholas Trucking Co., a Pennsylvania-based contractor for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), added three Ford F-750 trucks fueled with propane autogas to its fleet.

The family-owned company plans to add at least five more propane trucks within the next year.

“Propane is familiar to all of us, and it’s something we can trust. It’s cleaner and safer than most other alternatives,” says the company’s COO, Alexander Nicholas. “Our goal is to transition away from diesel and continually add more near-zero-emission vehicles to our 45-vehicle fleet.”

The company will save on both operation and fuel costs with its new trucks, and those savings will be put toward the additional vehicles, according to Nicholas.

The rising cost of diesel is one of the major catalysts for the company’s move to propane vehicles, Nicholas says. The company is currently saving more than 53 percent on fuel costs and will get 37 cents per gallon additional savings through the federal alternative tax credit.

Nicholas Trucking was awarded $93,000 through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Driving PA Forward program to support the initial purchase of the trucks.

“Vehicles that run on propane emit fewer greenhouse gases, smog-producing hydrocarbons and particulate emission than conventional fuels,” says Todd Mouw, executive vice president at Roush CleanTech, a manufacturer of advanced clean transportation technology. “Our propane engines are 90 percent cleaner than the Environmental Protection Agency’s most stringent standards.”

According to the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), parcel delivery fleets across the country have been adopting propane autogas.

“With propane vehicles, fleet owners can significantly reduce their emissions while saving on operation and energy costs – and do it without compromising on reliability, range or performance,” says Steve Whaley, PERC’s director of autogas.

Nicholas Trucking operates its own garage and body shop and has received positive feedback from its staff about the propane-powered trucks.

“Our maintenance staff say that the propane trucks are easier to work on than they thought, and they don’t have to worry about getting covered in grease and oil from a diesel engine,” Nicholas says. “Everything is simpler. There’s way less oil required and no need for diesel exhaust fluid or particulate matter filter.”

The company also elected to install fueling infrastructure on-site through a partnership with AmeriGas.

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