The Dominican goverment has plans to convert 158,000 vehicles to natural gas over the next 3 years in accordance with a decree signed by President Leonel Fernandez promoting the use of this fuel as an alternative to other liquid fuels. Approximately 200 shops will be set up to handle the conversions.

It is estimated that the government could save about US$275 in the first stages of the program, money that it currently uses to subsidize propane and could instead be used to the benefit of other social programs.

Industry and Commerce minister Francisco Javier Garcia said that and immediate priority would be the conversion of 22,500 passenger vehicles and that this would be facilitated by donated the US$700 conversion kits to drivers.