Making the leap

BYRAM, Miss. – Scott Dudley says the first thing somebody asks him about switching to propane is how long it lasts. Then, immediately afterward, they’ll ask if he has the same amount of power.

These were among his first questions when he made the switch nearly a decade ago, though he primarily answered his own questions through extensive research. Dudley says because people know he’s a propane user, they’ll ask him about making the leap to alternative fuel all the time. They want the knowledge of an experience user first before getting serious about it.

Dudley, the owner of Total Lawn Care in Mississippi, adamantly defend its use, citing the various benefits like cheaper refill prices and not having to stop at the gas station.

“When you take four or five guys to a gas station every morning, that slows the whole operation down,” Dudley says. “We have a filling station at my shop. That was part of the initial setup…and we’re able to fuel up in the morning. That was one of the first things I noticed immediately.”

SWAPPING OUT. Dudley says he officially made the switch in June 2010. A salesperson at a local propane distributor contacted him on a cold call and Dudley agreed to look at it. He had several questions about it when they first started talking, like what mechanics and performance would be affected if mowers that have no fuel in them – just a tank of propane sitting behind the operator – might cause problems with the mower itself.  The dealer also let him use their mower of the same make and model Dudley has, and after five minutes of demo use, he was sold.

“They addressed my concerns and since then, I’ve been completely and totally satisfied,” Dudley says. “I said, ‘Where do I sign?’”

Because Dudley switched fuel options in the middle of the summer, he had to transition out his mowers more methodically than he would’ve in the offseason. They converted four of his six mowers as fast as he could, though the process took roughly four to six weeks. Had he waited until the winter – which he recommends – they would’ve moved faster.

“In January, we definitely would’ve done it cold turkey,” Dudley says.

SEEING BENEFITS. Of all the positives he’ll list for landscapers who are undecided on propane – such as lower negative environmental effects and a lower cost to refuel – Dudley always mentions that the threat of fuel theft is minimized.

Physically, he says it’s more difficult for his employees to snag a five-gallon tank of propane than it is a gasoline container of the same size. He had some theft issues on gasoline, even implicit problems like when employees would take some gasoline to get home after a long day. It was a kind gesture to refill their vehicles, but it also cost his company money in the long run. Now, that’s not really the case.

“They’re not going to steal propane unless they’re having a barbecue this weekend,” Dudley says.

Especially with somebody who has more than a one-man show, Dudley cannot reiterate enough that stopping at a gas station costs the company more than just at the pump. If they stay for 30 minutes and there are four guys in the vehicle, he equates it to losing two hours of labor.

Dudley jokingly says he’s like Forrest Gump – he’s “not a smart man” – but he says the bottom line is simple enough to understand. He believes money is the ultimate motivator, and if nothing else, the money that stays in a contractor’s pocket warrant giving propane a try.

“It’s costing you 40 or 50 bucks stopping at the gas station,” Dudley says. “I tell people that I spent 50 less dollars than you did today, or I made 50 more dollars than you did today, simply by using propane. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out.”