Nicholas Trucking Unveils Emissions-Reducing, Cost-Cutting Propane Trucks

COURTDALE, PENNSYLVANIA. (October 26, 2023) — Nicholas Trucking Co., Inc., an 80-year-old, family-owned Pennsylvania-based USPS mail contractor, now operates safe, clean, economical trucks fueled with propane autogas. The company runs multiple USPS delivery routes across Pennsylvania, and through this adoption, it is now providing cleaner air for the community.

“Propane is familiar to all of us, and it’s something we can trust. It’s cleaner and safer than most other alternatives,” said Alexander Nicholas, chief operations officer for Nicholas Trucking. “Our goal is to transition away from diesel and continually add more near-zero-emission vehicles to our 45-vehicle fleet.”

With assistance from the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation, Nicholas Trucking was awarded $93,000 through Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Driving PA Forward program to purchase the three Ford F-750 propane vehicles. During a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Nicholas Trucking, the company announced it plans to add an additional five trucks within the year to further drive its emissions reductions.

“Vehicles that run on propane emit fewer greenhouse gases, smog-producing hydrocarbons, and particulate emission than conventional fuels,” said Todd Mouw, executive vice president at ROUSH CleanTech, a manufacturer of advanced clean transportation technology. “Our propane engines are 90% cleaner than the Environmental Protection Agency’s most stringent standards.”

Nicholas cites the rising cost of diesel as one of the major catalysts for the company’s move to propane vehicles. Nicholas Trucking is currently saving more than 53% on fuel costs and will get $0.37 per gallon additional savings through the federal alternative fuel tax credit.

“Propane vehicles offer the lowest total cost of ownership of any fuel type — conventional or otherwise. It allows fleet owners to significantly reduce emissions while saving on operation and energy costs—and do it without compromising on reliability, range, or performance,” said Steve Whaley, director of autogas business development with the Propane Education & Research Council.

Nicholas Trucking elected to install fueling infrastructure onsite through a partnership with AmeriGas. “It’s great,” said Nicholas. “We don’t have to wait in line to fuel, we always know how much we have left in the tank, and we can easily track our monthly and weekly use. Plus, it saves on additional costs that a fueling station may charge.”

Nicholas Trucking Co. has also received positive reviews from its staff. “There are a ton of things our drivers love about the new trucks. The power and torque are the same as diesel, and drivers don’t go home smelling like diesel fuel every day. They are surprised with the power a propane engine can produce,” said Nicholas. “Our diesel engines do not do nearly as well in the cold.”

Nicholas Trucking Co. joins a growing number of USPS mail contractors trusting propane to reliably deliver the mail across the country. To learn more, visit Propane.com/Delivery-Trucks.

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About Nicholas Trucking Co., Inc.: Nicholas Trucking is a 4th generation family business that was started in the 1940s with a single truck running one postal contract. Since then, Nicholas Trucking has acquired several contracts in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Area and employs over 40 drivers. With its dedicated garage and body shop plus 24/7 dispatch service, Nicholas Trucking continues to be a dedicated U.S. mail contractor in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

About ROUSH CleanTech: ROUSH CleanTech, an industry leader of advanced clean transportation solutions, is a division of the global engineering company Roush Enterprises. ROUSH CleanTech develops propane autogas technology for medium-duty Ford commercial vehicles and school buses. With more than 37,000 vehicles on the road, the Livonia, Michigan-based company delivers economical, emissions-reducing options for fleets across North America. Learn more at ROUSHcleantech.com or by calling 800.59.ROUSH.

About Propane Education & Research Council: The Propane Education & Research Council is a nonprofit that provides leading propane safety and training programs and invests in research and development of new propane-powered technologies. PERC is operated and funded by the propane industry. For more information, visit Propane.com