SALEM, OR - The McCoy Freightliner Green Transportation Conference Jan. 11 featured expert insights on the benefits of clean-burning propane autogas from Blue Star Gas President Jeff Stewart, who provided three Blue Star autogas vehicles for test driving. Held at the Salem Convention Center, the conference included informational sessions on autogas and other alternative fuels, along with helpful details on grants, tax credits and financing for shifting fleets to clean fuel.

As the flagship West Coast fuel provider for AllianceAutoGas, Blue Star Gas supplies fleets from California to Washington State with affordable, American-made autogas.A variety of experts, policy makers and manufacturers from organizations such as Eaton Corporation, Freightliner Trucks and Cascade Sierra Solutions were also on-hand at the event to offer valuable insight on current green options for the trucking industry.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to educate leaders in the Oregon transportation industry about autogas. It's an ideal clean fuel for light-duty fleets that's readily available, today," said Stewart, a past chairman of the National Propane Gas Association Benchmarking Council. "With so many green energy options on the market, it can be overwhelming to identify the best fuel to power your fleet. But, for those who want to save money and reduce harmful emissions without sacrificing performance, autogas is the ideal fuel."

Propane autogas is the third most widely used fuel in the world, powering more than 17 million vehicles globally. Ninety percent of the U.S. supply is made in America. Autogas costs about $1.25 less per gallon than gasoline, and because autogas is also a cleaner burning fuel, fleets often experience reduced maintenance costs. Autogas stations are also significantly less expensive to install compared to the fueling infrastructire of other alternative fuels.

Blue Star Gas vehicles available for test drives during the event included an autogas-powered Ford Expedition, a Ford Crown Victoria and a Chevy 3500 utility truck.

"Events like the conference held by McCoy Freightliner today help spread awareness about autogas one driver at a time, since they are able to discover first-hand the power of autogas vehicles," said Stewart. "In fact, Blue Star provides test drives and demos for West Coast fleet owners and managers on an ongoing basis. There's no better way to experience the performance of an autogas vehicle than by getting behind the wheel of one."

Alliance AutoGas is the nation's only complete program to shift fleets to autogas. It provides vehicle conversion, fueling stations, autogas fueling, ongoing safety training and technical support.