acknowledges that the prospect of starting over with, say,
hydrogen or natural gas has deterred his company from
investigating other alternative fuels. “After three decades of
use, we have a well-trained [repair] network [staffed with
operators who are] knowledgeable in that arena,” he says,
“so it hasn’t been conceivable to start in with another alternative fuel system at this point.”
THE ROAD AHEAD
When it comes to propane’s prospects for widespread adoption, the biggest impediment of all may simply be a lack of
visibility. In the trucking industry, overall awareness about
propane remains low compared with other alternative fuels.
The American Trucking Associations, for example, has published white papers addressing alternative fuels such as
biodiesel and natural gas, but not propane.
A related problem is outdated perceptions about propane.
Many people don’t realize how much the technology has
evolved since the ’70s, advocates say. Feehan points to vehicle
acceleration as an example. Although earlier propane vehicles
didn’t offer as much horsepower as their gasoline-powered
counterparts, advances in liquid injection technology have
essentially erased the difference, he says. Today, propane vehi-
cles mirror gasoline models in terms of horsepower and
acceleration. But Feehan adds that it’s often necessary to get
people to demo the vehicles to convince them of that.
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