Schagrin Gas opens public propane autogas sales with Oct. 1 event

Schagrin Gas Co., family owned and operated since 1932, serving more than 19,000 customers with propane, has announced the grand opening of its propane autogas fueling station. Schagrin's Middletown location will now offer publicly accessible propane refueling.

"The Delaware Clean Cities Coalition is very excited about the opening of this station," said Climate Policy Analyst Morgan Ellis. "This station will assist in reducing Delaware’s dependence on foreign petroleum. The Clean Cities Coalition supports the diversification of the nation’s transportation fleets, and propane plays a critical role.

Propane is domestically produced. It is a by-product of natural gas processing and crude oil refining. Propane vehicles are being used across the nation in shuttle buses, taxi fleets, and school buses. Typically in fleet operations, propane costs less than gasoline and provides comparable driving ranges. The applications for Delaware are immense. In addition, propane vehicles produce lower amounts of harmful air pollutants."

Free and open to the public, the road show will begin at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 1, in Middletown. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a ride and drive. ROUSH CleanTech will be partnering with the Mid Atlantic Propane Gas Association showcasing vehicles at the road show . Fleet managers, city officials and community members alike are encouraged to test-drive the high-performance autogas vehicles.

Fleets running on propane autogas currently save more than $1 per gallon on fuel compared to gasoline, and many report reduced maintenance needs because autogas is cleaner burning. Autogas is the most widely used alternative fuel in the world, and 98 percent of the U.S. supply is made in America. Because propane autogas vehicle conversions and fueling station installations have relatively low upfront costs, autogas is a financially viable alternative fuel option for fleets on a budget.