LANDSCAPING

“We knew we needed a niche market because the lawn-care industry is so saturated. I started looking for a greener fuel to replace gasoline- and diesel-powered equipment.” - Jesse Triick, president of Pristine Green.

Landscapers Trim Costs, Promote Green

Charged with creating lush, green landscapes for customers, it’s only natural that lawn care and landscaping companies would gravitate to ROUSH CleanTech’s propane autogas advantage. Not only does propane trim fuel and maintenance costs, but it is a hard-hitting clean alternative to gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles and equipment that doesn’t concede to the rigors of hard labor. 
 
Pristine Green of Grand Rapids, Michigan, chose clean-burning, domestically produced propane to fuel their business. Owners Jesse and Hilary Triick purchased a ROUSH CleanTech Ford F-350 fueled by propane autogas in April 2010 as a reliable foundation for creating a complete lawn-care service geared toward carbon footprint reduction — while maintaining beauty in landscape.
 
Jesse and Hilary dedicated significant time researching all forms of alternative energy. “Electric doesn’t provide enough run-time; I can only get about 90 minutes out of an electric mower. And compressed natural gas is entirely cost prohibitive,” said Jesse.
 
With fuel prices reaching $4.19 per gallon in the Triicks’ service area in early 2011, the switch to propane autogas trimmed fuel costs in half. According to Jesse and Hilary, they paid only $2.00 per gallon for propane autogas (as of May 2011) — before any additional government tax incentives.
 
Because propane autogas is a clean-burning fuel that leaves little carbon deposited in engines, equipment and vehicle maintenance costs are decreased. “The ROUSH CleanTech service department stands 100 percent behind their product,” Jesse said. “I have no doubt these products are going to last a long time.”
 
To put the environmental impact of switching to propane autogas in perspective, Pristine Green estimates about 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide will be eliminated from the company’s carbon footprint each year by incorporating just one ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas truck into their fleet, based on an estimated 30,000 miles traveled per year. To estimate a fleet’s cost and pollutant savings with propane autogas, visit ROUSH CleanTech’s online savings calculator.
 
Landscapers have the luxury of doubling the benefits of this ‘green’ fuel by utilizing it in not only their service vehicles, but their equipment as well. More than a dozen companies offer propane alternatives for mowers, trimmers and forklifts that complement the environmental elements landscapers strive to preserve.
 
Merry Acres Landscape & Lawn Maintenance in Albany, Georgia, recently made the switch to propane. Along with purchasing propane-fueled mowing equipment, Merry Acres acquired its first ROUSH CleanTech Ford F-150 truck fueled by propane autogas. 

“We’ve always tried to be good stewards of the environment,” said Jon Dozier, co-owner of Merry Acres, told LP Gas magazine. “It is an initial upfront expense to go to propane [autogas]. But we’re thinking we will recoup our cost in the first year and a half.”

Easy Refueling Options

In Downers Grove, Illinois, Competitive Lawn Service is working toward being the first entirely propane-fueled commercial lawn maintenance service in the United States. Operating both his ROUSH CleanTech Ford F-series trucks and all his lawn equipment (including mowers, trimmers and blowers) on propane fuel, president Eric Hansen had a fueling station installed onsite, creating a secure, convenient and cost-efficient way to fill-up.

Fueling with propane autogas is easy and convenient. Onsite fueling stations can be installed for little to no cost, or vehicle operators can fill up at one of the thousands of public propane autogas fueling stations across the United States.

Incentives

To find out about federal or state tax incentives, visit the Incentives section for available credits and programs.

Benefits

Environmental:

  • Up to 20 percent less nitrogen oxide
  • Up to 60 percent less carbon monoxide
  • 17-24 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions
  • Fewer particulate emissions
  • EPA- and CARB-certified

Vehicle:

  • No loss in engine performance
  • Little to no additional weight to the vehicle
  • Comparable driving range between fill-ups
  • Original factory vehicle warranty maintained
  • No additional scheduled services
  • Lower fuel costs by up to 40 percent
  • Reduced operating and maintenance costs

Products

Explore our recommended ROUSH CleanTech vehicles and conversion systems for your government fleet requirements.

For more information about how ROUSH CleanTech serves the landscaping market, please contact us at 800.59.ROUSH.