USPS contractor to test propane delivery trucks

Hi Pro, Inc., a nationwide mail logistics contractor with more than 40 years of service history with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), will soon add five, Class 6 straight box propane delivery trucks to its fleet in Denver, Colo. The vehicles are part of a $1 million research pilot project funded through the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.

Mail logistics contractor Hi Pro will test five Class 6 vehicles, similar to this one, in delivery service in Denver. The trucks incorporate Rousch Cleantech propane engines and fuel systems.

“Our goal coming out of this project is to demonstrate real-world applications of propane autogas as an alternative to diesel-fueled trucks,” said Bonnie Trowbridge, executive director of the Denver Metro Clean Cities Coalition (DMCC). “As a state that prioritizes sustainability, we’re especially excited to conduct this research in Colorado. This is an opportunity to study the air quality benefits of the ultra-low NOx propane engines and show that propane autogas is a viable clean energy source for fleets.”

The project, “Delivering Clean Air in Denver: Propane Trucks and Infrastructure in Mail Delivery Application” will fund the purchase and deployment of the propane-powered logistics trucks and infrastructure. DMCC, in partnership with DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), will track data and performance measurements of the propane autogas trucks. DMCC will work with the Propane Education & Research Council to provide educational materials using the collected data.

“We are honored to be selected for this important research project and to reduce emissions in our community,” said Joshua Stoneback, CEO at Hi Pro, Inc. “Through this project, we will create a playbook for fleets to also go green with propane autogas. In fact, we would like to implement similar low-NOx emission fuel choices across the nation with the assistance of USPS and our partners in this Denver Metro project.”

The Ford trucks are equipped with a Ford 7.3 L engine that is upfitted with a propane system developed by Rousch CleanTech. The vehicles and infrastructure will be delivered and installed later this year. The new propane station will be provided by AmeriGas.