Yellow Cab of Columbus Converts to Propane AutoGas
Jeff Kates, President of Yellow Cab of Columbus, was interested in alternative fuels for the taxi fleet. However, he knew little about propane until he met Blossman Gas, a propane marketer that led the Alliance AutoGas vehicle-conversion network. That meeting changed his outlook and business.
Yellow Cab of Columbus now runs an alternative fuel model in Ohio’s capital. The company converted 25 vehicles to propane autogas and built its refueling station to keep them running.
“It was a strong team effort. We knew this was the right move, but we lacked the practical knowledge to get it done,” Kates said. “Now, we feel proud to have made 20% of our fleet less dependent on foreign oil.”
“Now, [propane autogas] has us feeling pretty proud about what we’ve done when it comes to getting 20% of our fleet a lot less dependent on foreign oil.”
Jeff Kates, President of Yellow Cab of Columbus
“The number of miles these taxis drive is impressive,” said Brian Feehan, former Vice President of Engine Fuels for the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). “That mileage shortens the conversion payback time thanks to propane’s fuel savings.”
Feehan added that while a typical light-duty vehicle uses about 2,000 gallons of propane per year, high-mileage taxis can use much more. Company officials reported that each Columbus taxi travels 40,000 to 60,000 miles annually. In nine months, Yellow Cab of Columbus vehicles consumed around 40,000 gallons of propane, Kates estimated.
American Alternative Fuel of West Coxsackie, N.Y., sold Yellow Cab of Columbus on the bi-fuel option of the EPA-certified Prins Vapor Sequential Injection LPG conversion system. The system starts the vehicles on gasoline, automatically switches to propane, and lets the driver choose the fuel. American Alternative Fuel converted the first two cabs and trained Yellow Cab’s mechanics on the new system.
“The cabs run on propane, but if propane isn’t available, they switch to gasoline,” Kates explained. “I thought that was very important, seeing that the drivers get trips out of town or are just working hard and don’t have time to refuel at the company’s station.”
“We overcame early doubts about switching to propane quickly,” Kates said. “The drivers are happy with the power and performance. If we had 40 more propane cabs, they’d be the first to drive them.”
Jeff Kates, President of Yellow Cab of Columbus
Kates also liked how easy propane cabs are to refuel, just like gasoline. He noted that propane costs about 25% less per gallon. Rodney Johnson, Branch Manager for Alliance AutoGas of Ohio, added that autogas costs $1.30 less per gallon on average. The vehicle’s trunk stores a tank of up to 24 gallons. Yellow Cab of Columbus now operates an on-site refueling station with two 1,000-gallon tanks.
“With our business model, the drivers are paying for the gas. We don’t necessarily benefit from the savings, but if the drivers are happy, we end up having better customer service all around,” Kates says.
“We overcame any doubts we had before switching to propane pretty quickly, and the drivers are pleased with the cabs’ power and performance,” Kates says. “If we had another 40 propane vehicles, the drivers would be jumping in them.” he adds.
The Ohio Propane Gas Association offers rebates to help companies convert or buy propane-powered vehicles. The OPGA is offering up to $5,000 per entity, $1,000 each for vehicles or mowers.
