subject: Peninsula Transportation Group's fleet of paratransit buses is going "green" in Palm Beach County [print this page] Peninsula Transportation Group's fleet of paratransit buses is going "green" in Palm Beach County
Peninsula Transportation Group's paratransit buses that serve Palm Tran, Palm Beach County's public transportation agency, are going green. Cullan F. Meathe, President and CEO of Peninsula Transportation Group, says the fleet of approximately 100 buses is in the process of being converted to propane.
Peninsula Transportation Group, one of the nation's largest privately held transportation companies, is an industry leader in the use of propane-converted vehicles for chauffeured transportation. Peninsula Propane is converting the vehicles to Propane Autogas.
Meathe said, "Today's passengers, as well as vehicle owners, are increasingly concerned about the environment. Knowing that the buses they drive in are "green" can be a deciding factor in choosing whom they will call to drive them to their destination. In Palm Beach County, these vehicles typically handle a total of 1500 to 1600 trips a day. Using propane in them eliminates a lot of unnecessary harmful emissions. We plan to convert more of our fleet."
Compared to gasoline, propane burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel, with possibly 20 percent less nitrogen oxide, as much as 60 percent less carbon monoxide, 24 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions and fewer particulate emissions.
Passengers use the paratransit buses door-to-door trips in Palm Beach County for recreation, shopping, nutrition, dialysis and cancer treatments and other medical appointments. Most of the buses accommodate six regular passengers and two disabled in wheelchairs, while the others can seat 12 with two wheelchairs. The buses comply with ADA government regulations. Drivers are certified and qualified to handle the wheelchairs and their passengers.
Meathe added, "The company is committed to advancing the use of green fuels and technology. In this country today, far too few vehicles on the road operate on propane. As most of the propane we currently use here is produced in the United State, we also could greatly reduce our dependence on imported oil if more of us made a concerted effort to incorporate green into our vehicles."
The conversions of the Peninsula Transportation Group's vehicles from gasoline to propane are part of the groundbreaking Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Additional conversions are in progress.
For more information about Peninsula Transportation Group, visit www.PeninsulaTransportation.com
