National park saves and protects with LPG

By definition, national parks are established to shield the most precious and picturesque pieces of nature from the destructive influence of civilisation. And that's precisely why we give our thumbs up to the initiative of the Mammoth Cave National Park, where alternative fuels (LPG, biodiesel and E10, the latter being petrol with a 10% addition of bioethanol) have been in use since 2002. In the latest turn of fleet shopping, the park purchased autogas-powered pick-up trucks and buses.

© Mammoth Cave National ParkThe park's LPG-powered Ford F-250's are driven by the rangers, while the autogas buses serve tourists

To make the switch from conventional to alternative fuels easier, the park once again cooperated with the KCFC (Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition, not to be confused with KFC), itself a part of the Department of Energy's Clean Cities initiative. The cooperation dates back to the 1990's and so the KCFC has once more helped the park acquire funding for the purchase of new vehicles.

More specifically, in 2011 the „cavemen” secured 505 thousand dollars in funding to replace their aging vehicles with new ones. Thanks to the money four new LPG-powered Blue Bird buses have been purchased (in place of similar ones dating back to 1977 and 1990) and two bi-fuel Ford F-250 pick-ups equipped with Roush CleanTech autogas systems. And so the Mammoth Cave National Park has become the first one to participate in the Green Parks initiative, which isn't only about making the fleet of vehicles „greener”, but also about educating the park's visitors about the advantages of alternative fuels. And there are quite a few visitors to educate, as the park's Blue Birds (eight overall, with four still awaiting replacement) bus 200 thousand people annually!

The Mammoth Cave National Park's affair with LPG doesn't start or end on trucks or buses, either – John Deere lawn mowers, mobile generators and other LPG-powered equipment, all founded by PERC (Propane Education & Research Council), are also in use. The park also has their own refueling station, thus further boosting savings from autogas (bulk deliveries mean lower prices per gallon compared to refueling at a public station) and saving time (driving to the station not required). The vehicle maintenance staff  like LPG, too, as it extends engines' life. All in all, that's a fine example to follow!