Fleet Management
By Jeremy Wishart
The One-Fuel Solution
ny landscape contractor knows that managing and predicting hard costs is one of the keys to ensuring their
bottom line stays in the black, and business is successful.
With gasoline and diesel prices hovering near $4.00 a
gallon and no relief in sight, fuel consumption is increasingly becoming a hot topic for contractors. It's also
why landscape professionals are turning to propane as a one-fuel
solution for their mowers, pickups and portable generators.
When used across an entire fleet, fueling with propane eliminates
the guesswork of predicting conventional fuel prices, and is a versatile, environmentally and budget- friendly solution to managing
"uncontrollable" costs.
A
No better time than the present
Propane has gained a reputation in the commercial mower market as an alternative fuel that reduces emissions and can bolster a
business's sustainability program. Today, contractors are recognizing
18 Landscape and Irrigation October 2013
the fuel for its strong return on investment and increased fuel savings.
With a deeper lineup of propane-fueled equipment options from
which to choose — including mowers, trucks and portable generators — contractors who have adopted propane throughout their
operations are reaping benefits beyond the bottom line. They are
reducing downtime and improving employee efficiency with an
abundant, affordable and American-made fuel.
Advancements in shale gas exploration in the U.S. have created
a surplus of domestic propane, encouraging manufacturers to invest
in new propane-fueled technologies. More than a dozen manufacturers offer propane-fueled mowers, including BigDog, Bob-Cat,
Dixie Chopper, EnviroGard, Exmark, Ferris, Gravely, Husqvarna,
Hustler, Kubota, Metro Lawn, Scag, Snapper Pro, Toro and Zipper.
New, factory-built models are also available for propane, such as Exmark's Lazer-Z S Series line, which features the only propanededicated electronic fuel injected engine from Kohler.
Beyond mowers, Roush CleanTech — a Qualified Vehicle Modwww.landscapeirrigation.com
All photos provided by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).
How a single-fueled fleet cuts expenses, improves efficiency
