Some 600 Indiana highway trucks switching to propane

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Work has started on converting more than 600 Indiana highway department trucks and cargo vans so that they run on propane.

Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman said Monday during a trip to Fort Wayne that the conversion was expected to save the state about $1 million in a year in fuel costs. She says that nearly all of the Indiana Department of Transportation's operations will be within 30 miles of its 115 propane fueling stations.

Skillman said the use of propane in the highway vehicles will save about 500,000 gallons of gasoline or diesel fuel a year.

The Journal Gazette reports it costs $5,500 to $7,200 to convert each vehicle, which officials say is recovered in fuel savings. A $6.3 million federal stimulus grant is helping pay for the work.