1

Contents

Background.......................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Motivation for Adopting Propane ................................................................................................................................... 3

Financial Benefits........................................................................................................................................................... 4

Environmental and Energy Benefits........................................................................................................................... 5

Recognition ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Project-Specific Activities.................................................................................................................................................. 5

Vehicles Deployed.......................................................................................................................................................... 5

Infrastructure Deployed................................................................................................................................................ 6

Training for Drivers and Technicians......................................................................................................................... 6

Data Analysis Results......................................................................................................................................................... 6

Summary of Vehicle Operational Data....................................................................................................................... 7

Environmental and Energy Impact Data ................................................................................................................... 8

Business Case Data ........................................................................................................................................................ 8

Lessons Learned and Future Plans ................................................................................................................................10

Lessons Learned...........................................................................................................................................................10

Future Plans ..................................................................................................................................................................11

Conclusion .........................................................................................................................................................................12

Supplemental Information...............................................................................................................................................13
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3

Case Study – Propane Bakery Delivery Step Vans

Background

Propane is a promising alternative fuel for a 

number of transportation applications because it is 

widely available, even in rural areas, and it can cost 

less than diesel or gasoline. Propane is generically 

known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and is 

sometimes marketed as propane “autogas” when 

used for vehicle applications. The bakery industry 

has begun to look at propane as a lower-cost 

alternative fuel, particularly as manufacturers have 

developed new propane vehicle products. This case 

study compiles information from one of the first 

bakeries to adopt propane technology, and broadly 

discusses the company’s experiences, lessons 

learned, and considerations for deployment in 

other fleets.

The Alpha Baking Company was formed in 1979 

by a group of investors who took over one of 

Chicago’s largest institutional bakeries, the Mary 

Ann Baking Company. The company has expanded 

its reach through the acquisition of several other 

bakery companies, and now has 1,400 employees 

involved in making and distributing baked goods 

throughout the upper Midwest. The company operates a total of 300 trucks, making it the third largest bakery 

fleet in the United States. The Alpha Baking Company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and operates four 

baking plants, two in Chicago, one in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and one in LaPorte, Indiana. The products 

from these plants are distributed to restaurants, grocery-store chains, and other customers through a series of 

16 depots throughout the Midwest, including locations in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The 

depots are positioned to ensure that no customers are more than 100 miles away from one.

In 2013, Alpha Baking deployed a total of 22 propane step vans in its fleet: these trucks use the Ford E-450 

chassis equipped with a 6.8-liter V-10 spark-ignition engine and a dedicated propane system built by Roush 

CleanTech. Alpha used these trucks to replace an existing fleet of Freightliner MT35/MT45 diesel trucks that 

used 5.9-liter Cummins diesel engines. The propane trucks Alpha purchased were among the first to be 

deployed in regular fleet service as Alpha worked with Roush to help develop this system. The current fleet of 

propane trucks is deployed at a single depot in the greater Chicago area.

Motivation for Adopting Propane

Alpha Baking has been interested in alternative fuels for its delivery fleet for about a decade, and has explored 

a number of options to address considerations like reliable fuel supply, vehicle maintenance support, and 

original equipment manufacturer (OEM) warranties. Over the past decade, Alpha has examined many 

alternative fuel choices, including biodiesel, propane, and natural gas. It experimented with a vapor propane 

injection systemi for a Class 8 diesel tractor, deployed CNG for its Class 8 tractor fleet, and tested vegetable 

MAJOR FINDINGS

• Cost Savings – The propane vehicles in this 

case study typically achieved a fuel cost savings 

of around 7 cents per mile. Unseasonably cold 

winter conditions caused propane prices to 

spike for a brief period. Long-term fuel 

contracts can protect against volatility.

• Payback Period – The incremental cost of the 

propane step vans and infrastructure can be 

recouped in approximately 4 to 7 years.

• Typical Usage – The propane step vans in this 

case study traveled around 22,800 miles per year 

on average and achieved fuel economy of 

8.6 miles per diesel gallon equivalent (DGE).

• Energy & Environmental Impact – The total 

petroleum displacement was 38,000 DGE per 

year for these 22 step vans, while greenhouse 

gas (GHG) reductions were approximately 

80 tons per year.
4

oil to fuel diesel engines (the latter was not 

sustainable because there was no OEM support 

for this, nor was there any fuel infrastructure). 

Because of its tests and experience over this 

10-year period, Alpha is aware of what 

questions to ask when a new technology or 

application is made available. Robert McGuire, 

Alpha’s Vice President of Logistics, provided 

the general questions the company asks when 

considering new technology, which include:

• What level of experience does the manufacturer have with these technologies?

• How does the manufacturer support these technologies?

• Does the technology have an impact on the vehicle’s base warranty?

• Is the system recognized and accepted by the vehicle service network?

• Can the technology be maintained and serviced without the need for additional tools, diagnostic 

software, etc.?

• What actions does the technology manufacturer take to continuously improve its products and 

processes, both at a specific technology level and more broadly in their daily operations?

• What testing and validation has occurred to ensure a safe and superior product over the life of the 

asset?

For Alpha, propane offers a number of benefits, both from an individual company perspective and from a 

broader national perspective. “The technology is here, and it’s the right thing to do. It is better for the 

environment, it is good for the economy, and it reduces our dependency on foreign oil,” states Robert 

McGuire.

Financial Benefits

Although Alpha’s interest in alternative fuels was mostly driven by its owners’ and senior managers’ desire to 

be good environmental stewards, financial considerations were still a factor in Alpha’s decision to adopt 

propane. Alpha managers saw presentations from T. Boone Pickens about the benefits of natural gas, and 

were thus beginning to work with Ford on development of a CNG step van. As this work developed, Alpha 

realized that the CNG technology would not be financially viable for its fleet. To achieve the payback 

necessary to cover the incremental vehicle, maintenance, and infrastructure costs, the step vans had to be 

driven more miles than in their current operation.

At this point, a Ford representative working with Alpha recommended that it consider propane as an 

alternative fuel for its fleet. Propane was interesting to Alpha because truck and infrastructure costs were 

lower than for natural gas, and the public and private fueling infrastructure was readily available in the

Midwest. It was also possible to convert the trucks back to gasolineii in the future, should it be necessary for 

resale or other purposes. In 2012, Alpha spoke with Roush representatives and discovered that the propane 

step vans that Alpha wanted did not yet exist. Alpha met with the Roush engineer leading the development of 

the step van product to discuss Alpha’s needs, and worked with Ford and the vehicle body manufacturer, 

Morgan Olsen, to develop initial prototype vans for a bakery application. In total, Alpha spent about 

15 months researching the use of propane in its fleet.

Figure 1. 

Alpha Baking 

Propane Fleet

(Roush

CleanTech)
5

While propane can offer ongoing fuel cost savings, the incremental cost of the propane option for the E-450 

chassis (approximately $7,900iii per truck versus diesel) can be an initial barrier for a fleet considering the 

technology. Because these trucks are not being built in large quantities, the costs may come down due to 

economies of scale if larger volumes are ordered in the future. Currently, incentives can be used to offset 

some of these early incremental costs. Alpha received financial assistance from the State of Illinois in the 

amount of $4,000 per truck through the Illinois Green Fleet Program.

iv

Environmental and Energy Benefits

The use of propane in vehicle applications can reduce GHG emissions while also reducing dependence on 

petroleum. The Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) Tool

developed by Argonne National Laboratory for the Clean Cities program estimates that a propane vehicle can 

reduce lifecycle GHG emissions by 15% if it has the same fuel economy as a diesel vehicle (less if the fuel 

economy for propane is lower). Propane use in vehicles can reduce lifecycle petroleum use by 99% when that 

propane is derived from natural gas processing. Currently, 70% of propane is produced from natural gas, 

while the remaining 30% is produced through petroleum refining. Relative to model year 2010 and newer 

diesel trucks, new propane trucks do not offer significant air quality benefits, but replacement of older diesel 

trucks with these propane trucks can reduce air pollutant emissions considerably. Mr. McGuire noted that 

reducing emissions by replacing older diesel trucks with propane trucks in the city areas where these vehicles

typically operate is important to the baking industry.

Recognition

Alpha has received public recognition for its deployment of propane trucks. In late 2013, the Illinois 

Environmental Protection Agency designated Alpha as one of the members of the Illinois Green Fleets 

Program, which recognizes businesses and local governments for implementing alternative fuel vehicles in its

fleet operations. The Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) recently honored Alpha with the 

2014 Propane Autogas Fleet Award for its work in deploying its propane fleet. At the award ceremony, 

PERC chief business development officer observed, “Alpha Baking has proven to be an alternative fuel 

leader in both its community and nationwide.”

Project-Specific Activities

Vehicles Deployed

In 2013, Alpha deployed an initial fleet of 

22 propane delivery trucks at its North Aurora

depot. These trucks are Class 4 Ford E-450 step

vans that use a 6.8-liter V-10 spark ignition 

engine with a Roush dedicated liquid propane 

injection system. The propane trucks replaced 

model year 2002–2007 diesel Freightliner 

MT35/MT45 step vans with a Cummins 

5.9-liter ISB diesel engine. Alpha selected 

Penske Truck Leasing to serve as the 

maintenance service provider for the propane

vehicles, because Penske had already worked on 

Alpha’s diesel trucks.

Figure 2. 

Dedicated 

Propane Ford 

E-450 Step 

Van Deployed 

in 2013 by 

Alpha Baking 

(Roush

CleanTech)
6

Infrastructure Deployed

Alpha decided to build a station onsite at its North Aurora depot to increase convenience for drivers, lower 

labor costs for refueling, and maintain closer control over fuel dispensing. Ferrellgas, the fuel supplier,

provided the infrastructure, two aboveground 1,000-gallon propane tanks and a dispenser, to Alpha at a cost 

of approximately $37,000. Ferrellgas also worked with the local fire marshal in North Aurora to obtain the 

appropriate approvals for the station. Alpha invested an additional $23,000 in electrical and concrete 

contractors to meet the requirements set forth by the fire marshal.

Although the station is currently private, Alpha 

may consider opening the station to local 

governments in the future. Among the services 

provided by Ferrellgas is automatic 

replenishment of the fuel in the station; the fuel 

provider remotely monitors the level of fuel in 

the storage tanks, and returns to the site to refill 

the tanks when the fuel level drops to 30% of 

capacity.

Training for Drivers and Technicians

To ensure success, the drivers and technicians received training specifically on propane vehicles and the 

propane fueling infrastructure. Roush trained the Penske technicians on vehicle repair and maintenance, 

including propane component identification, troubleshooting codes, and repair practices. The Penske 

technicians also received online instruction from Roush’s web-based training program, including training on 

specific repair procedures. Alpha required its drivers to attend a Roush presentation on how to drive the 

propane vehicles most efficiently. Ferrellgas provided video training and in-person training with a Ferrellgas 

associate to explain propane safety and vehicle fueling. Attendees were tested to verify the training was 

effective.

Data Analysis Results

For the purposes of this case study, Alpha 

Baking provided information on vehicle 

miles traveled, fuel used, and fuel costs per 

vehicle per month. The company provided 

data for the 22 propane trucks for the 

period of April 2013 through November 

2014, representing operation through all 

four seasons. For comparison, the company 

also provided data for the period of January 

2011 through April 2013 for the group of 

24 diesel trucks that the propane vehicles

replaced. The propane step vans were used 

in similar ways to the conventional 

counterparts they replaced. The propane 

vehicles achieved somewhat lower fuel 

economy performance (on an energy 

Figure 3. 

Alpha Baking 

Onsite 

Refueling 

Station for 

North Aurora 

(Roush

CleanTech)

Figure 4. Vehicle Miles Traveled per Quarter per Vehicle
7

equivalent basis) than the diesel trucks, but

provided notable petroleum displacement 

and GHG emission reductions. Most 

importantly, the fuel cost savings available 

to this fleet produced reasonable payback of 

the upfront capital costs for the propane 

vehicles. Although an individual fleet’s 

payback will depend on the price 

differential between propane and diesel, 

Alpha’s cost savings appear to be fairly 

representative of what a similar bakery fleet

may experience.

Summary of Vehicle Operational Data

Figure 4 shows the propane and diesel 

vehicles accumulated similar per-vehicle 

quarterly mileage; the propane trucks were 

replacements for the diesel trucks and were 

used on similar routes. The average annual 

mileage was 21,200 for the diesel trucks and 

22,800 for the propane trucks.

Figure 5 presents quarterly fuel use per 

vehicle, in diesel gallon equivalents, for the 

diesel and propane trucks. These data

translate to an average annual fuel use of 

2,120 diesel gallon equivalents per diesel 

truck and 2,680 diesel gallon equivalents per 

propane truck.

As illustrated in Figure 6, fuel economy was 

10.0 miles per diesel gallon equivalent 

(MPDGE) for the diesel trucks and 

8.6 MPDGE for the propane trucks. This 

represents a 14% reduction in MPDGE for

the new propane vehicles. This reduction in fuel economy (on an energy equivalent basis) is due in large part 

to the diesel trucks using smaller (5.9 liter) and more efficient compression ignition engines than the propane 

trucks, which use more powerful 6.8-liter spark-ignited engines. These propane engines did, as noted later, 

offer somewhat more power than the conventional diesel counterparts, which improved driver satisfaction 

with the vehicles. It is reasonable to assume the reduction would be smaller if the engines had the same 

displacement.

There appears to be a seasonal trend: fuel economy drops for both diesel and propane during the colder 

months in the first quarter (January–March) of the year, and increases in the warmer months. According to 

Robert McGuire at Alpha, one reason the performance of the propane trucks may have dropped so 

significantly was that vehicles were running lean during the unseasonably cold winter. Roush later identified 

this problem and fixed it. Mr. McGuire suggested that increased warm-up idling times and slightly higher fuel 

consumption at idle may have also contributed to the seasonal fuel economy fluctuations.

Figure 5. Fuel Use (in diesel gallon equivalents, DGE) per Quarter per 

Vehicle

Figure 6. Fuel Economy (in miles per diesel gallon equivalent, MPDGE) per 

Quarter
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Environmental and Energy Impact Data

Petroleum displacement and GHG reductions are important benefits of propane vehicles. Alpha Baking’s

operational data were used in the AFLEET Tool to estimate the reductions in petroleum use and GHG 

emissions for Alpha’s fleet of 22 propane vehicles relative to the comparable diesel fleet being replaced. 

Figure 7 summarizes the total petroleum displacement and GHG reductions of the propane vehicles. The 

total petroleum displacement was 38,000 DGE per year, and GHG reductions were approximately 80 tons 

per year.

Business Case Data

Fleet vehicles are purchased to do a job; therefore, investments in new technologies, such as propane, must 

pay for themselves over time to be a viable choice for the fleet owner. Lower fuel prices and lower 

maintenance costs for propane relative to 

diesel can provide this payback opportunity 

and save the fleets considerable amounts of 

money after the capital costs for the 

vehicles and fueling stations are recouped. 

In some cases, fuel suppliers may install 

propane fueling stations at no cost to the 

fleet if fuel purchase commitments are 

made, which can potentially hasten cost 

savings. The fleet in this case study 

provided information that allows some 

assessment of potential fuel cost savings for 

step vans.

Figure 8 presents the average diesel and 

propane costs per DGE for this fleet over 

the time period studied. During most 

Figure 7. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Petroleum Displacement Comparisons

Figure 8. Fuel Costs per Diesel Gallon Equivalent by Quarter
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seasons, propane provided a considerable cost advantage of between 60 cents and $1 per DGE because of 

the advantageous private fleet pricing Alpha received. However, due to unseasonably cold weather that raised

propane demand for other uses (such as agriculture), Alpha did encounter some difficulties with propane 

price increases during the winter months. This will be discussed in more detail in the Lessons Learned 

section.

Figure 9 compares the fuel cost per mile for 

the propane and diesel step van fleets, 

corresponding to the fuel prices in Figure 8 

and the fuel efficiencies shown in Figure 6. 

Propane is typically less expensive on an 

energy equivalent basis, but the fuel 

efficiency of the propane vehicle is also 

lower, which offsets some of the fuel cost 

benefit. As with Figure 8, the spike in fuel 

prices during the first quarter of 2014 is 

clearly visible: also noticeable is the 

subsequent return to more normal propane 

autogas prices by the second quarter of 

2014. Outside of the first quarter of 2014, 

the propane trucks achieved a fuel cost 

advantage relative to their diesel 

counterparts of around 7 cents per mile, 

without having applied the 50 cent federal excise tax credit on alternative fuel. If the federal tax credit of 

50 cents per gallon were applied to the propane prices that Alpha paid, the payback period can be reduced 

even further, to as little as one year if maintenance cost savings are considered.v

The major capital costs for implementing a propane truck program such as the one Alpha has developed 

involve the incremental cost of the propane vehicles themselves, plus the cost of any fueling infrastructure 

that may be necessary to support the fleet.

At a minimum, a favorable business case for a propane fleet deployment requires yearly fuel and maintenance 

cost savings that are sufficient to repay the initial capital costs of the vehicles and stations in a timeframe 

acceptable to the fleet without outside funding. Given that the propane trucks in this fleet traveled around 

22,800 miles per year, and assuming the non-winter propane cost savings of 7 cents per mile, payback of the 

initial incremental cost of the vehicle ($7,900)vi can be achieved in about 5 years. This is about half of the 

useful life of the step

van; Alpha estimates 

that the van bodies have 

a 10-year lifetime.

Case 1 in Table 1 

summarizes this 

business case situation.

Alpha is still in the 

process of analyzing the 

data on maintenance 

costs, but projects that 

there will be 

Figure 9. Fuel Costs per Mile

Table 1. Example Business Case Analysis – Four Scenarios (dollars in thousands)

Parameter Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Case 4

Propane fleet size 22 22 22 22

Number of fueling stations 0 0 1 1

Cost per station N/A N/A $60 $60

Total vehicle incremental cost $174 $174 $174 $174

Total fueling station cost N/A N/A $60 $60

Total capital cost $174 $174 $234 $234

Total fuel and maintenance cost 

savings from fleet $33 $63 $33 $63

Simple payback (years) 5.3 2.8 7.1 3.7
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maintenance savings relative to its diesel vehicles, particularly those with post-2010 emission systems (diesel 

particulate filters and selective catalytic reduction systems). Data from previous propane case studiesvii show a 

maintenance cost savings for propane relative to diesel of around 6 cents per mile. For the same number of 

annual miles traveled and the same cost savings per mile as Case 1, including this maintenance cost savings in 

the calculations for the propane trucks in this fleet lowers the simple payback of the initial incremental cost of 

the vehicle from about 5 years to 3 years. Case 2 in Table 1 summarizes this business case situation.

As noted above, Alpha invested approximately $60,000 to construct the propane fueling facility for its vehicle 

fleet. Including this capital cost with the total incremental cost of the 22 vehicles, and using only the fuel cost 

savings described above, the total simple payback of the vehicles and fueling facility is about 7 years (without 

maintenance cost savings). Case 3 in Table 1 summarizes this business case situation. If the estimated 

maintenance cost savings are included in the calculation (as shown in Case 4 in Table 1), the payback of the 

vehicles and fueling facility is around 4 years. If the Illinois Green Fleet incentive that Alpha received, 

$4,000 per truck, is applied to the incremental costs relative to diesel, the simple paybacks in Table 1 for cases 

1 through 4 will be reduced to 2.6 years, 1.4 years, 4.5 years, and 2.3 years, respectively.

Lessons Learned and Future Plans

Alpha gained valuable experience from its initial deployments, including vehicle specifications, vehicle 

financing, driver satisfaction, partnerships, and propane pricing. The company’s experience was largely 

favorable, which has encouraged Alpha to consider additional propane vehicle deployments in several 

locations and applications across its network.

Lessons Learned

Clean Cities was a critical link in making this project happen. Carl Lisek, the South Shore Clean Cities 

Coordinator, met with Alpha early in its process of examining alternative fuels and informed them of Roush 

and other suppliers that might meet its needs. Mr. Lisek helped facilitate partnerships, which are of key 

importance to successful deployments. Mr. McGuire noted that, “the team must include partners who are 

solid and major league players, and will be in business for the long haul, especially fuel suppliers.” Alpha’s 

experience with the vegetable oil project taught it that partners should be OEMs wherever possible, in order 

to avoid concerns with warranty coverage and to ensure Environmental Protection Agency compliance.

Teamwork is important when deploying new technologies that may still have technical issues to resolve. The 

step vans deployed in 2013 were early production models, developed in collaboration with Alpha and project 

partners Roush, Ford, and Morgan Olsen. One difficulty Alpha encountered was engine stalling at low 

ambient temperatures, because the trucks were running lean and not receiving enough fuel, particularly at idle.

Roush sent an engineer out to the depot to troubleshoot the problems, and he spoke with the truck operators 

directly to learn about the problem, running routes with the drivers to see the issues firsthand. This was 

critical for solving the problem. Roush determined that the issue had to do with the fuel lines freezing, which 

was solved by applying additional insulation on these prototype step vans.

Financing the trucks was problematic for Alpha, because the residual values for the propane trucks were 

largely unknown and it was difficult to determine amortization schedules. The step van bodies themselves are 

designed for a 10-year life, but questions remained about the rest of the vehicle. Alpha worked with their 

financing company, GE Capital, to develop appropriate residual values for the vehicles.
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Finding the right location for deploying the propane trucks required the Alpha fleet manager to consider

many factors, such as the average miles per route for each location, availability of nearby maintenance and 

fueling infrastructure, and space onsite for building and operating fueling infrastructure. Alpha found that 

only a few of its depots have enough space for onsite fueling infrastructure, so expansion to other areas will 

likely require that Alpha secure offsite fueling.

Drivers and customers had positive feedback about these trucks. They are quieter than the diesel vehicles they

replaced, which is particularly important because bakery truck deliveries occur in the early morning hours. 

Mr. McGuire said that although drivers usually have difficulty accepting the benefits of new technologies, 

Alpha’s drivers immediately embraced the propane trucks. The propane trucks had 6.8-liter V-10 engines that 

were more powerful than the 5.9-liter engines in the diesel trucks they replaced, which contributed to driver 

satisfaction. Mr. McGuire did note that Roush recalibrated the engines to reduce horsepower because Alpha 

felt the power increase compared to the diesel trucks was too large.

Alpha found that propane pricing could surge upward during unseasonably cold winter months. In the winter

of 2013–2014, Alpha saw propane prices increase from $2 to $7 per propane gallon over two weeks as a 

result of frigid temperatures compounded by propane usage by farmers for drying crops. The price spike was 

relatively short, lasting about 3–4 weeks before leveling off at around $3 per propane gallon. Alpha learned 

from this experience that propane is a commodity, and the company must be concerned with how to hedge 

against surging prices by using longer-term contracts to lock in pricing during the year. They are getting

advice from industry experts on how to do this because prices above $2 per propane gallon substantially 

damage the business case.

Outreach and education were also important 

considerations for the project’s success. Alpha 

displayed one of its propane trucks at the 2013 

International Baking Industry Exposition, produced 

every 3 years by the American Bakers Association 

and the Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and 

Allieds. This display helped garner increased interest 

in the propane trucks among attendees; the truck 

displayed at this event is shown in Figure 10. Alpha 

has wrapped its vehicles with a design that 

incorporates phrases that describe propane’s benefits. This has encouraged customers to stop the drivers and 

ask about the trucks and propane, and to get more information on the fuel and Alpha’s initiatives. Additional 

exposure for the project has come from videos by MotorWeekviii and the Propane Education and Research 

Council.ix

Future Plans

Based on its success with the initial deployment in the North Aurora depot, Alpha is now looking to expand 

the use of propane trucks to several other depots in its system; the Northwest Indiana depot may be 

considered as the next site. Alpha would ultimately like to move its entire step van fleet to propane, and is 

considering using propane for some larger delivery trucks at the Northwest Indiana site to accommodate 

growth, add payload, and increase efficiency. Alpha is interested in deploying trucks that are heavier than the 

current E-450 chassis, which have a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,500 pounds. Alpha also would like to 

deploy CNG for its Class 8 tractor fleet, which moves ingredients and finished goods among its production 

plants (Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin) and depots. These trucks travel between 90,000 and 125,000 miles 

Figure 10. 

Display Truck 

for 

International 

Baking 

Industry 

Exposition 

(Alpha 

Baking)
12

per year, and have relatively low loaded weights, so the additional weight of CNG equipment is not projected 

to be a concern in this application.

Conclusion

Alpha drew on its previous experience with alternative fuels to deploy propane technology successfully in its 

delivery fleet. The trucks have performed well in daily revenue service, and are yielding reasonable paybacks 

of vehicle and infrastructure costs. Alpha is moving to expand the propane truck deployments elsewhere in its 

fleet.

The success of this initial deployment by Alpha has increased interest in the baking industry for adopting 

propane. Other large companies like Bimbo Bakeries USA and H&S Bakery have begun to deploy their own 

propane step van fleets. Bimbo Bakeries has been operating five propane trucks in Ohio for a year and half as 

a pilot program to test the technology. According to Gary Meresca, Bimbo Bakeries’ Senior Director Fleet 

Services, the company will soon convert 30 delivery trucks to propane for use in Illinois and will purchase 

30 new propane trucks for use in Colorado in the next year.

H&S Bakery has purchased an initial fleet of 30 Roush propane step vans for its Baltimore, Maryland,

operations and intends to operate about 10% of its 600-vehicle fleet on propane with deployments in 2015 

and 2016. Like Alpha, H&S has installed a private propane refueling station, developed as part of a new 

facility constructed in Baltimore, to serve the fleet’s fuel needs. Chuck Paterakis, Vice-President for 

Transportation and Logistics at H&S, stated that the propane trucks were cost-efficient while being 

sustainable and environmentally friendly. “This is more than just our company seeking to improve the 

environment,” explained J.R. Paterakis, the company’s Vice-President for Sales and Marketing. “It’s 

important to us and also important to all our customers, whether they are food retailers, government agencies 

or foodservice organizations. They are also requesting that their vendors develop strategies that will help the 

way we all live.”
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Supplemental Information

i. Vapor propane injection is a system by which propane is injected into the engine as a vapor. The systems 

in the trucks for this case study use liquid propane injection, which maintains the propane as a liquid 

through the fuel system to an injector mounted close to each cylinder. Liquid propane injection systems 

offer efficiency and reliability advantages over vapor propane systems.

ii. Alpha (Robert McGuire) noted that it is possible to convert the dedicated propane vehicles to gasoline, 

but gasoline components (fuel pumps, tanks, fuel injectors, etc.) would need to be procured and installed 

in place of the propane components. Alpha is still reviewing the potential costs of such a conversion, and 

is still exploring the feasibility of removing and disposing of the propane fuel system components.

iii. This is the net incremental cost quoted by Roush relative to a diesel baseline for this chassis in public 

documentation (http://www.roushcleantech.com/popup/CleanTechSavingsCalc.htm). Alpha contacts 

confirmed this price is reasonable, based on their experience.

iv. The Illinois Green Fleets Program (http://www.illinoisgreenfleets.org) provides rebates of 80% of the 

incremental cost of an alternative fuel vehicle, up to $4,000 per vehicle, for new vehicles purchased in 

Illinois by an Illinois business. The rebate program was suspended in 2014 and is not currently available, 

according to the Green Fleets website (http://www.illinoisgreenfleets.org/rebates).

v. Alpha’s fuel prices outlined in this document do not include the federal 50 cent per gallon alternative fuel 

excise tax credit, which originally expired in December 31, 2013, but was retroactively extended through 

December 31, 2014 (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/laws_expired?jurisdiction=US).

vi. For the purposes of this business case analysis, the incentives Alpha received from the Illinois Green 

Fleets Program were not included, to make the analysis results more widely applicable nationwide. In 

addition, the rebate program was suspended in 2014 and is not currently available, according to the 

Green Fleets website (http://www.illinoisgreenfleets.org/rebates).

vii. The information on maintenance savings was taken from the Clean Cities case study on propane school 

buses (Case Study – Propane School Bus Fleets, August 2014). In this case study, the buses used engines that 

were different sizes from those used in the Alpha fleet (8.1-liter propane engines and 7.6-liter diesel 

engines versus the 6.8-liter propane engines and 5.9-liter diesel engines in the Alpha fleet). However, the 

maintenance cost savings are in line with the 50% reduction in maintenance costs per mile estimated by 

Roush in their propane vehicle business case calculators (http://www.roushcleantech.com/popup/

CleanTechSavingsCalc.htm).

viii. The MotorWeek video may be viewed at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/case/1623.

ix. The Propane Education and Research Council video may be viewed at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wugoq9QUt_s.
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