Rhoads Energy

In fact, Rhoads found the advantages so compelling that the company decided to commit to expanding its own propane-powered service fleet of more than 20 vehicles over the next year. The Rhoads Energy Family of Companies, has provided heating fuel, HVAC and fleet fueling services in Central Pennsylvania for the past 100 years. Rhoads is transitioning to a program to lease new vehicles from Enterprise Fleet, many of which will be propane-powered. The first set of vehicles, seven Ford Transit service vans and one Ford Explorer, were upgraded with propane fuel kits. The vehicles will be serviced by specially-trained technicians at Chapman Ford in Lancaster and Stoner Wade Ford in Quarryville. The vehicles will all fuel at GR Mitchell in Willow Street, which recently received approval for public propane Autogas fueling at its fill station. Non-Rhoads propane-powered vehicles will also be able to fuel at this site. The company expects that it will have a fleet of more than 20 propane-powered vehicles on the road during 2020. Rhoads operates several regional brands, including E.G. Smith Inc., Boyertown Oil & Propane and V.R. Boltz. All will incorporate propane-powered service vehicles into their fleets. CEO Michael DeBerdine, III, notes that Rhoads has helped several school districts to transition hundreds of school buses to propane fuel. It was the company's previous experience with a small fleet of propane-powered vehicles that prompted them to aggressively work with school districts looking for the same environmental and economic benefits.