December 2017

New Marketing Tool: Knock Out NOx Video

We recently created a three-minute video called “Knock Out NOx in School Buses.” It’s written in easy-to-understand language with animated visuals that explain what nitrogen oxide (NOx) is, how it pertains to the Volkswagen settlement and why propane school buses are a viable solution for the funding.

We’ve posted the video to ROUSH CleanTech’s website and our  YouTube channel.

We’re encouraging you to use it. Here’s how:

• Contact your local school board representative. Ask them for three minutes of their time to watch the video so they can understand how safe, clean, low NOx propane buses are ideal for their school district and community.

• Share it with your state beneficiary. Reach out to schedule a meeting to discuss why they should assign some of the VW’s Environmental Mitigation Fund to school buses. Propane school buses will substantially reduce NOx and can benefit communities throughout your entire state. This short video drives that point home. You can find your state beneficiary at vwclearinghouse.org/#settlement_info.

• Use it in your marketing. Add it to your customer presentations, loop it on a screen during an event or expo, email it to prospects and link it to your website.

• Post it on your social media accounts. Here are sample posts to consider:

• According to the Environmental Protection Agency, asthma is a leading cause of school absenteeism. It’s time to stop compromising our children’s education and health. Knock Out NOx in School Buses #BetterOurBuses #PropaneAutogas

• Part of the Volkswagen settlement requires the automotive manufacturer to pay $2.9 billion to fund actions that reduce NOx emissions. That’s a lot of funding that could be used for low NOx propane school buses. Learn more at Knock Out NOx in School Buses #BetterOurBuses #PropaneAutogas

• What are NOx and why should you care? Hint: They affect your health, your children’s health and the environment. It’s time to clear the air around our school buses and knock out NOx. Knock Out NOx in School Buses #FuelforFleets

Do you have other ideas on how to use and share the video to reach your customers, prospects and state beneficiary office? Let us know!

Volkswagen Update: December 2017

Your state’s Environmental Mitigation Trust beneficiary should have been selected at the beginning of this month. We know who most of them are for each state, but the final agencies are still being determined.

Although the process is moving along, we still need you to reach out to your state’s beneficiary to schedule meetings and learn what your state plans to do with the money. There is still time to make the case for propane school buses.

If you have not reached out to your state’s beneficiary to discuss propane school buses, please contact Chelsea Jenkins. She can work with you to develop an outreach plan.

To make your outreach easier, we’ve created a tool that you can to use to “speak the language” of the beneficiary. This one-page flyer is attached here, which we can tailor to your state. The main message of this document is that in a dollar for dollar comparison to reduce NOx:

• Propane is 35 percent more cost-effective than diesel school buses.
• Propane is 65 percent more cost-effective than electric school buses.

Now is the time to schedule meetings with your beneficiary to discuss why propane is the best value based on NOx reduction. If you have any questions about the Volkswagen settlement or the Environmental Mitigation Trust, please contact Chelsea Jenkins at Chelsea.Jenkins@roush.com. You can also visit ROUSHcleantech.com/volkswagen-settlement for regularly updated information.

Dealer Spotlight: Hoover Truck & Bus Centers

Dealer Spotlight: Hoover Truck & Bus Centers

Interviewee: Bob Hoover

Title: Owner

Propane school buses have revved up the 2018 sales year for Hoover Truck & Bus Centers in New Jersey. One very successful trade show and positive feedback from a recent district adopter were pivotal for the dealership’s increased interest in propane.

“We exhibited at a state show this fall where the attendees included all of the area’s school bus officials,” said Bob Hoover, owner. “We partnered with the New Jersey Propane Gas Association and brought in ROUSH CleanTech to display at the event.”

The dealership used multiple tactics to feature propane school buses at the event. They had a booth to review and discuss the benefits of propane with attendees. They had a propane school bus at the Ride & Drive for attendees to experience firsthand. They also secured a panel presentation spot and asked a current propane bus customer from Randolph Township Schools to talk about their propane experience. Reports from customer testimonials hold a lot of weight.

“Our efforts during this show gained interest from at least five school districts after the event that stated they would like additional follow up,” Hoover said. “We knew we needed to keep the momentum going.”

About a month following the trade show, Hoover invited everyone who they spoke with during the show to Randolph Township’s facility to see first-hand how a propane end user experienced the benefits on a day to day basis. This smaller forum created a more targeted pitch to the interested customers where Randolph could go over the TCO (total cost of ownership) analysis that Blue Bird and ROUSH CleanTech had conducted with them on how they were saving over $2,000 per bus per year in fuel and maintenance costs. The school district staff performed a fueling demonstration, tour of their garage and hosted a Ride & Drive on one of their brand-new propane Visions to further sway the 25 attendees.

Randolph Township school district spoke about their propane school buses and their experience to attendees, including technicians, transportation directors, finance directors, and superintendents, which, according to Hoover, “helped seal the deal.” One of Randolph’s technicians was even overheard saying “if all we had to work on was ROUSH and propane, our lives would be so easy.”

Hoover recommends other dealerships look for trade show and events that bring together school officials in their state. Then, invite those prospects to one of your current propane bus customer’s facilities so they get information straight from the source.

Welcome Our New Sales Director

Greetings! As many of you already know, my name is Ryan Zic, and I’m the new sales director for school bus at ROUSH CleanTech. I’ve had the privilege of working in this industry for almost eight years with Blue Bird, as an RSM and alternative fuels manager corporately and as regional sales manager within the Blue Bird dealer body, and am incredibly enthusiastic about the industry.

I couldn’t be more excited to join this company to represent a product and serve a dealer body that I am so passionate about. I can’t wait to contribute to the Alt Fuel Report and look forward to sharing and celebrating your individual successes in this monthly newsletter.

I am also realistic, and am not naive to the challenges we face, including:

• Increasing competition
• Low, traditional fuel costs
• New technologies

But, we all know that not only do we have excellent propane, CNG and gasoline products, we have the dealer expertise to support it.

My team and I are at your service and we want to help you sell buses powered by ROUSH CleanTech. Take a look at our regional map to see which team member covers your area. And, we are hiring for the West region, so if you know someone who would be interested, please feel free to contact me directly at Ryan.Zic@roush.com or 734-474-7286.