The propane industry today recognized the winners of the 2006 PROPANE  Exceptional Energy® Fleet Awards at a ceremony during the Clean Cities Congress & Expo 2006 in Phoenix, AZ. The award winners, sponsored by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), use propane in their vehicle fleets and promote awareness of propane as a cost-effective, safe, and clean-burning motor fuel.

The 2006 winners include:

• Capital Area Rural Transportation System, or CARTS, delivers transportation tailored specifically for each of the 123 communities it serves in the Austin, TX, area.
• Historic Tours of America, the largest operator of theme tour vehicles in the country, uses propane to fuel 90 percent of its fleet. The company operates in Boston, Key West, Savannah, St. Augustine, San Diego, and Washington DC.
• Port Arthur Transit, which offers citywide bus services in Port Arthur, TX, uses propane in 80 percent of its fleet.
• Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC, operates several commercial mowers that use propane. The college also plans to introduce propane into its vehicle fleet later this year.

“These winners demonstrate the versatility, viability, and economic advantages of propane-powered fleets across the country,” said Brian Feehan, PERC’s managing director of engine fuel programs. “Propane lowers fleet managers fuel costs, is environmentally friendly and helps reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”

Propane is listed as an approved alternative fuel in the 1990 Clear Air Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1992. More than 10 million propane vehicles are in use worldwide. Clean burning and efficient, propane is also widely used in off-road and agriculture engine and vehicle applications.

For more information about propane and propane-powered vehicles, visit www.propanecouncil.org.