Come Join Us – RSVP Today!!

Learn About New Advancements in the Propane Industry.

PitStop Propane and Fuels is incredibly excited to host this educational event for local marketers, commercial businesses, and more, to learn about propane autogas and the future of propane in commercial applications.

Date:
Thursday, May 11, 2023

Time:
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Guests:
Multiple Guest Speakers

Location:
School Administrative District 6 Bus Garage
715 Bonny Eagle Rd
Standish, ME 04084

Submit Your RSVP:

Fill out my online form.

Future of Propane

Tucker Perkins will speak on the benefits and future of propane in the industry.

Propane in Maine

Leslie Anderson will speak on what is happening at the local level in Maine involving both propane and autogas.

Propane at Pitstop
Clay Cleason

Clay Gleason will speak about local partnerships and opportunities involving autogas in the nearby community.

How Autogas Works

Bonny Eagle School Representatives Sarah Marean, Transportation Manager, and Doug Havu, Lead Mechanic, will provide a demonstration on how autogas works.

An Inside Look: Propane Autogas vs. Electric Infrastructure

If your district operates — or is considering purchasing — electric school buses, charging up for the day could also mean draining budgets due to inefficient infrastructure.

With its quick refueling and transparent costs, propane autogas provides a simpler and more convenient solution to the headaches of electric charging.

The Pitfalls of Electric

Installation: Even getting started with electric buses can hit your budget hard. The power requirements needed for multiple charging stations dramatically increase site preparation costs, on top of the trenching, conduits, cables, and repaving required to run a power line to the charging center. With propane autogas, you have options for infrastructure setups that keep your costs in check.
Downtime: Charging electric fleets around the clock means keeping those buses off the road for long periods of time—up to five hours, in some cases. Refueling an autogas bus is safe and quick, taking a similar amount of time as fueling with gasoline or diesel.
Range: Electric buses rely on frequent battery charging to stay mobile, so their full driving range is limited (about 120 miles on one charge) and often makes drivers anxious. Propane autogas buses can provide a range of more than 400 miles on a single refueling.
Post-Installation: In the long term, electric fleets also have to install and pay for charging management software to adequately maintain charging schedules for multiple vehicles. Outside of routine maintenance, propane autogas infrastructure doesn’t require additional costs after installation.

See the Numbers for Yourself

The affordability and scalability of propane autogas refueling options are unmatched compared with electric. These examples compare the typical expected costs of propane autogas refueling infrastructure with comparable recharging infrastructure for electric school bus fleets.

*Argonne National Laboratory, Center for Transportation Research, AFLEET Tool 2017.
**U.S. Dept. of Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office, Nov. 2015
***Rocky Mountain Institute, April 2014.
	Propane Autogas	Electric*
Buses Serviced	10	10
Site Prep + Infrastructure Maximum Total	$45,000 – $60,000	$80,000 – $480,000
Installation	$18,000 – $24,000*	$30,000 – $280,000**
Site Prep + Equipment	$27,000 – $36,000*	$50,000 – $200,000***
Station Setup	One 1,000 – 2,000 gallon tank	Five level 3 fast EV chargers
Additional Costs	No	Most Likely — Electric sub-panels, added amperage to power multiple stations, upgrading and replacing incoming power line
Scalable to Growing Fleet	Yes	No

Propane Autogas Infrastructure Options

Choose between a standard or advanced private station. You can own your infrastructure or lease it from your propane autogas supplier.

STANDARD PRIVATE STATION

(50 vehicles or fewer)

FLEET OWNED
$21,500 – $75,000
(Infrastructure + Site Prep)

SUPPLIER OWNED
$1,500 – $15,000
(Site Prep)

ADVANCED PRIVATE STATION