It’s back-to-school season, and school districts across the country are still feeling financial pressure from high fuel costs. After a painful spring where diesel prices skyrocketed to more than $6.00 per gallon in some regions, many districts are grappling with how to keep budgets on track in the new school year.
In an effort to lower transportation costs, the East Stroudsburg Area School District has officially transitioned its bus fleet from diesel to propane.
As schools reopen in DeKalb County and across the state, bright yellow school buses are again a familiar sight on roads and school parking lots. DeKalb County School District’s website states that the district is replacing aging diesel-powered buses over time with low-emission or alternative fuel vehicles, including some that are fueled by propane.
DeKalb is among 34 Georgia school districts using propane school buses to transport up to 160,000 of the state’s public-school students daily, according to ROUSH CleanTech, developer of propane autogas technology for medium-duty Ford commercial vehicles and school buses. ROUSH CleanTech is a division of the global engineering company Roush Enterprises.
Newport News Public Schools says switching most of its school bus fleet from diesel to propane is helping the district cut transportation costs.
District leaders say the change saved more than $439,000 in fuel and maintenance costs during the last school year, freeing up money that can be used for other district needs.
By now, you’ve likely seen the numbers from ASBO, AASA and NAPT’s recent transportation survey; they’re pretty hard to ignore. More than half of U.S. districts are running over budget on fuel this school year, and the ripple effects are concerning. No matter the size of your district, this is a pain that nearly every district’s transportation department is feeling.
As a country we are celebrating an incredible milestone this month and it’s got me thinking about what independence actually means when you’re staring at a fuel gauge.
Access to education is not just important for individual and national development, it is a foundational American value. President Lyndon B. Johnson famously said, “Every child must be encouraged to get as much education as he has the ability to take.”But access to education requires more than just the systems and institutions that provide it, it requires the ability to reliably and safely transport each child to school.
It’s been a remarkable year for propane in the headlines. Our customers have been sharing real-world experiences about their propane buses, and these stories highlight how propane has delivered cleaner air, consequential savings and peace of mind.
Michigan received a $125 million federal grant that it will share with school districts to cover the cost of buying 322 electric powered buses and 54 propane powered buses. The grant was designed to replace older diesel fueled buses with lower emission vehicles. With the grant ending, school districts will need to make their own purchase decisions about which vehicles are best.
While some districts are still waiting for the promise of electric buses to catch up to reality, others are already reaping the benefits of cleaner, more cost-effective school transportation right now.
Across the country, more than 1,000 school districts are turning to propane autogas buses from diesel and seeing the benefits firsthand: healthier rides for students, happier drivers behind the wheel, and real cost savings that make a difference in the classroom. From public health experts to veteran drivers and transportation directors, those closest to the issue see how propane autogas is transforming student transportation for the better.
