COVER STORY
crews, we'll tell him, "We need a 12-rack or 24-rack of propane cylinders at this lo- cation," and within a few days, we're ready to go. Q: What recommendations do you
have regarding working with an equipment dealer to acquire and service propane-fueled equipment? A:When we decided to convert our
mowers from gasoline to propane, McCoy's Lawn Equipment told us it was able to do that, and introduced us to available rebates from the Texas Propane Gas Association. When we needed new mowers, we bought new models already running on propane. McCoy's has worked with us on warranties, conversions and maintenance. Regarding warranties and maintenance, McCoy's works directly with our head mechanic because the company knows and trusts him. Q: How did you approach safety and training for your crews that would be operating and refueling the new propane-fueled mowers?
A:When we purchased our propane- fueled mowers, we explained to the crews and crew leaders how they needed to safely handle the cylinders and transport them. Each cylinder is in its own rack when not in use. We make sure they are familiar with each mower, including how to get them running and refueled. Q: Has your business realized cost
savings since adopting its propane- fueled mowers? A:Yes. We're paying half of what we
would be paying for gasoline, but using propane also reduces our mower mainte- nance costs because we can go longer without changing our oil. We're very for- tunate in that we have veteran crews, and the first thing they do is check that oil. Warranty specifications from Exmark and Scag Power Equipment are very detailed, and we follow them. Q: What advice would you give to a contractor considering adopting propane-fueled commercial mowers? A: There are so many factors to con-
sider. Are your crews going to be able to embrace this new form of fuel, and can they sustain its use if your company is going to expand? We've been very fortu- nate; we've expanded every year with mowers, vehicles and personnel. For us, propane-fueled mowers were an excellent choice. As we've grown, it has allowed us to gain larger market share, because we're using this green technology.
Steve Wayne is the chief commercial officer for the Propane Education & Research Coun- cil (PERC). PERC was authorized by the U.S. Congress with the passage of Public Law 104-284, the Propane Education and Re- search Act (PERA), signed into law on Oct. 11, 1996. PERC's mission is to promote the safe, efficient use of odorized propane gas as a preferred energy source through research and development, training, and safety initiatives. For more information about the companies profiled in this article, visit www.mccoyslawn.com and http://cleanscapes.net.
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