WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The propane industry recently announced the winners of the sixth annual Propane Exceptional Energy Fleet Awards at the 12th National Clean Cities Congress & Expo in Phoenix, Ariz. The four fleets receiving awards for exceptional use of propane-powered fleet applications are Historic Tours of America in Florida, Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, Capital Area Rural Transportation System in Texas, and Port Arthur Transit in Texas. This year's award winners showcase a wide range of propane applications --- from transit buses to ride-on mowers --- that help fleet managers reduce operating costs and provide clean, reliable equipment for workers and customers. Historic Tours of America is the largest operator of theme vehicle tours in the country, with a total fleet of 152 vehicles. Currently, Historic Tours operates 90 percent of its fleet on propane. Warren Wilson is a small liberal arts college in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, with an enrollment of 823 students. The college worked closely with the propane industry on a research and development partnership that resulted in the modification of engine carburetors on three mowers, including a large eight-wheeled mowing tractor. The result is that propane can be delivered into the combustion chamber. The college also uses two new propane-powered mowers for demonstration projects. And as the propane partnership continues, Warren Wilson plans to convert two fleet trucks to propane power. Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) delivers transportation for 123 communities in the greater Austin, Texas, area. Twenty-four percent of the CARTS fleet runs on propane, using 87,600 gallons of propane each year. Port Arthur Transit operates 80 percent of its 16-vehicle bus fleet on propane and has been operating propane buses for the past three years. Port Arthur, Texas, is a designated non-attainment area, so the transit company's use of propane is heralded as a pioneering step in helping to alleviate local air-quality problems. The company offers citywide bus services and a special paratransit door-to-door service with lift-equipped vehicles for the elderly and disabled residents of Port Arthur.