Does Your Fleet Management Services Playing Nice with Alternative Fuels

Here is a list of what is applicable to fleet management operators – of what’s been extended for an additional year by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010:

ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS

• WHAT: Credits for installing electric vehicle charging stations.
• WHO: Residential and commercial property owners.
• HOW MUCH: Residential owners can receive a tax credit up to $1,000 while commercial property owners can qualify for a tax credit for up to $30,000.
• WHY IT MATTERS: This may be a lucrative incentive for fleet companies considering charging stations for electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids.

PROPANE AUTOGAS AND NATURAL GAS FUELIING CREDIT

• WHAT: Fueling credit for propane autogas, CNG, and LNG when used as a transportation fleet fuel.
• WHO: Retailer or end-user (whichever entity is liable for reporting and paying the federal excise tax on the sale or use of the fleet fuel in a motor vehicle). Tax exempt entities such as state and local governments that dispense qualified fueling from an on-site mobile fueling station for use in vehicles also qualify for the incentive. To sweeten the deal even further, it’s retroactive back to January 1, 2010 (originally expired at the end of 2009) and a one-time claim can be filed for 2010.
• HOW MUCH: $0.50 per gallon or gasoline gallon equivalent.
• WHY IT MATTERS: This incentive encourages the production and use of alternative fueling.

PROPANE AUTOGAS AND NATURAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE CREDIT

• WHAT: Credits for propane autogas and natural gas fueling infrastructure.
• WHO: Residential and commercial property owners.
• HOW MUCH: 30 percent of the cost of qualified equipment up to a maximum of $30,000 and $1,000 for non-business property. Credit is applicable to multiple locations.
• WHY IT MATTERS: This may be a lucrative incentive for fleet companies considering fueling stations for alternative fueling vehicles.

Also included in the bill were extensions for alternative fueling credits available (ethanol, biodiesel) to producers/blenders and sellers.

We’ll see who takes advantage of them in 2011. Those progressive fleet managers and their fleet management department will likely see a large reduce in diesel fuel prices and improvement fuel management. I think all fleet companies hope that their fleet management and fuel management systems can save them money on diesel fuel prices in a year that looks like it can be very shaky.

Call Sokolis 267-482-6155 for fuel management, fuel card, fleet cards, mobile fueling and all of your diesel fuel prices questions.