Fleet halves conversion cost

© Palm Tran ConnectionOne converted bus makes little difference, but 50 of them make one hell of a difference!

Palm Tran Connection, the paratransit division of Palm Beach County's public transport system, recently purchased 50 new vehicles running on autogas – the more affordable, more environmentally friendly substitute to conventional, oil-derived fuel. To make the investment pay back quicker, the company received a 50 percent return under the state of Florida's Natural Gas Fuel Fleet Vehicle Rebate Program, even though autogas isn't actually the same as natural gas...

Still, Palm Tran Connection qualified to benefit from it, which means the company received as much as 381294 dollars of reimbursement from the state budget. That's over 7600 dollars per vehicle, so PTC had to pay over 15000 dollars to get each vehicle converted in the first place. The new paratransit buses had been in service for a year before the rebate was granted.

Palm Tran Connection has received a number of honours for choosing LPG-powered buses over ones running on petrol or diesel. The accolades received include ones awarded by PERC (the Propane Education & Research Council) and Metro Magazine, among others. They go to show that commitment to protecting the environment and health is recognised and always pays off in its own right.