By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
September 21, 2011

Every month, the City of Kansas City saves $90,000 to $100,000 in diesel fuel costs by using compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.

Now, the Kansas City Police Department is joining in on the savings.

For the first time in Kansas City’s history, the police department will be using 12 CNG vehicles – two Chevrolet Impalas and 10 Ford Crown Victorias. Since the fuel tank is located in the trunk and uses ample space, the vehicles will be administrative cars used by detectives and commanders. Patrol officers need their trunk space to carry equipment.

More than $4 million in stimulus funds is aiding the city in purchasing an additional 170-plus CNG vehicles, said Samuel Swearngin, City of Kansas City Central Fleet manager.

For more than 10 years, Kansas City has used CNG vehicles, which include buses and vehicles for the water department, health department, parks and recreation department and public works department, Swearngin said. Five city-owned fill-up stations are located throughout Kansas City.

“It’s (CNG) the most bang for the buck. It’s the way to go,” he told Northeast News. “It’s cleaner, cheaper and the fuel is domestically produced.”

CNG, he said, is as safe or safer than gasoline, since the fuel dissipates quickly when exposed to air and the probability of a fire is nearly non-existent.

It also offers the same acceleration performance as a regular gasoline and diesel vehicle, he said.

With current gasoline prices, natural gas provides an average savings of $2 per gallon, said Kelly Gilbert, director of the Clean Cities Program with the Metropolitan Energy Center.

“That (savings) adds up,” she said. “In 2012 when all 12 cars are in service at the KCPD, the KCPD alone will displace nearly 6,000 gallons of gasoline. That’s an annual savings approaching $12,000 in operating costs.”

Leader of the KCPD’s Fleet Operations Unit Maj. Bob Kuehl said KCPD drives more than 12 million miles per year and is committed to experimenting with alternative fuels to lower fuel costs, reduce pollution and hopefully lessen the dependency on foreign oil.