October 2019

Lock It In! Propane Prices Lowest in Three Years

Here’s another reason for your customers to purchase propane buses now: even lower fuel costs. Did you know that propane autogas prices are at a three-year low? Not only do your customers benefit by paying less, but a one- or two-year locked-in rate helps with their budget planning and annual ownership costs.

Currently the national diesel average (as of September 30) is $3.07 per gallon. Compare that to as low as 40 cents a gallon for propane in some parts of the nation right now (like New Jersey). Over the past 30 years, propane has been, on average, half the cost of diesel. Right now it’s 60 or 70 percent lower.

The demand for propane is expected to increase a bit with crop drying season. But right now, inventories and productions are up, and the U.S. has more than 100 million barrels in storage.

This is an ideal time to encourage your customers to purchase propane buses and then lock in a propane price with their local fuel provider. And remember, most propane providers will install an on-site propane station for very little cost — sometimes as little as zero cost — with a propane fuel contract. We want school districts to know that fueling should not be a barrier to propane bus purchases.