McAbee Trucking, Inc., the first USPS-contractor to run vehicles on propane autogas, is doubling down on its commitment to clean air with 20 new trucks
McAbee Trucking, Inc., the first USPS-contracted fleet in the United States to operate vehicles with propane autogas, is strengthening its commitment to the environment with the purchase of 20 clean propane autogas trucks, taking the fleet from seven to 27. Lisa McAbee, the owner of the company, made the announcement during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the installation of McAbee’s own state-of-the-art propane autogas refueling station.
“I want my legacy to be lowering my carbon footprint for my grandchildren so we can save our environment as quickly as possible," said Lisa McAbee, owner of McAbee Trucking. “Propane autogas is the way to accomplish that goal. And because it’s affordable, I’ve actually saved money by investing in propane autogas instead of other energy sources.”
The fleet runs multiple mail routes for the USPS between Greenville, South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Since McAbee’s adoption of propane autogas nearly two years ago, several other USPS-contracted fleets around the nation have followed her lead and transitioned to the clean energy source.
“McAbee Trucking is demonstrating that propane autogas is clean energy for everyone, including the USPS,” said Tucker Perkins, president and CEO of the Propane Education & Research Council. “Considering the number of miles these trucks drive every day, this is a big step toward cleaner air to breathe and a healthier community for all Carolinians. Lisa is showing the world that propane autogas is a vital part of the low emissions solution we need for a cleaner future.”
Currently, medium- and heavy-duty (MD-HD) propane-powered vehicles provide a lower carbon footprint solution in most U.S. states when compared to MD-HD electric vehicles charged from the electrical grid. In addition, MD-HD vehicles powered by renewable propane provide a lower carbon footprint solution in every state except Vermont, where electricity is generated by Canadian hydroelectric power plants. Renewable propane is an emerging energy source that’s a byproduct of the renewable diesel and jet fuel production process, which converts plant and vegetable oils, waste greases, and animal fat into energy. Because it’s produced from renewable raw materials, it has an even lower carbon intensity than conventional propane.
“Both Alliance AutoGas and Blossman Gas are excited to partner with McAbee Trucking to bring the world’s most widely used alternative fuel to her fleet,” said Stuart Weidie, chairman of the Propane Education & Research Council and CEO of Blossman Gas, the founding member of Alliance AutoGas and fueling partner of McAbee Trucking. “Propane is available right here, right now, and provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option to fleets across the U.S. As we continue to expand renewable propane in on-road applications, which has a lower carbon intensity score than electric vehicles, future production will lead to even more sustainable benefits for us all.”
McAbee Trucking’s propane autogas success could not be possible without the additional contributions of the Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition, Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition, Roush CleanTech, North Carolina Propane Gas Association, South Carolina Propane Gas Association, and Superior Energy Systems.
