Corpus Christi, Texas Converting Vehicles To Natural Gas

The Corpus Christi, TX City Council, on May 17, approved a $183,000 contract to convert sixteen city vehicles from gasoline to compressed natural gas. The conversion is slated to span the next twelve months.

Dallas-based company Natural Gas Vehicles Texas is directly involved. Funding will come from an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant of $501,365, which will cover the cost of converting a total of 26 vehicles, including cars, vans, trucks and garbage trucks.

The City currently has thirty-three CNG-fueled vehicles in its fleet. This group of vehicles includes eight Honda Civics, one Crown Victoria, one Chevrolet Impala, a panel van, two refuse trucks, and two messenger vans, all of which are dedicated CNG vehicles, and eighteen bi-fuel Ford pickup trucks.

$182,944.20 is the total cost for conversion. $45,736.05 is expected to be spent in Fiscal Year 2010-2011.

The current cost for CNG for Corpus Christi is eighty-five cents per gallon, which would significantly reduce fuel costs for the converted vehicles.

In addition, the City also received $400,000 in State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) funds for the construction of a new municipal natural gas fueling facility at the City's City Vehicle Service Center.

The City's documents explain that Corpus Christi is undergoing this effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs, promote local resources, and reduce dependency on foreign fuel sources.

NAFA Fleet Management Association
125 Village Blvd., Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004