Lake Michigan Mailers Inc., a mail and document transportation services company, is working with Icom North America LLC and AmeriGas Inc. to convert its service vehicle fleet to bi-fuel propane autogas systems.

The propane liquid-injection conversion systems provided by Icom will enable the company's vans to run on both autogas and gasoline, with propane as the primary fuel. AmeriGas is supplying the propane for the converted vehicles.

David Rhoa, president of Lake Michigan Mailers, says the company chose to go with a bi-fuel option as a hedge against sparse propane fueling stations. He notes that the conversions will yield a 32% reduction in the fleet's cost per mile, and vehicle emissions will drop as much as 60%.

"We knew we had to make a strategic change in the way we propel our vehicles," Rhoa said in a press release. "We evaluated every alternative fuel type currently available.  Propane is the right choice for us for a number of reasons, including cost per gallon, long-term price stability, improved environmental impact, available fueling infrastructure and vehicle conversion options."

The company will begin converting its Michigan-based fleet this month, and the project is expected to wrap up next summer. Lake Michigan Mailer also plans to begin converting its Indiana-based fleet in the fourth quarter of 2013. Twenty-five of the fleet's 30 vans will be converted.