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.
The first school bus contractor in Maryland to adopt propane school buses oversees the transportation of 2.1 million student trips annually and reflects on the success of early adoption and his confidence in ROUSH CleanTech’s innovative propane technology.
I’m fresh off a week at ACT Expo in Vegas, where a shift in the conversations from previous years took place. Fleet managers and the industry as a whole are no longer just talking about alternative fuels; instead, the discussion has broadened around new technology that helps fleets operate with more efficiency, safety and confidence. That includes topics fleet managers really want answers to. We’re seeing more weight being put on practicalities like uptime, safety, productivity and performance.
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is bringing an energy solution to ACT Expo in Las Vegas that meets 2027 emissions standards.
According to the organization, the solution demonstrates how propane autogas and propane-powered material handling equipment deliver immediate cost savings, operational reliability and emissions reductions for fleet operators today.
Most of our focus at NACFE is on Class 8 heavy-duty trucks, and rightfully so, since these trucks consume the majority of the fuel used in trucking. However, we do not overlook medium-duty trucks—specifically Classes 4–7.
Medium-duty trucks still consume a significant amount of fuel. Some studies show the fuel consumed by medium-duty trucks is almost 25% of the total fuel consumed by large on-road trucks (e.g., Classes 4 to 8). Medium-duty trucks also run in cities where there is a lot of stop-and-go traffic and people. One study of line-haul trucks showed that trucks emit seven times more NOx than the 2010 standard in stop-and-go traffic. While the study was not conducted on medium-duty trucks, it is likely the same problem exists in the medium-duty sector. EPA27 regulations should help this, but it will come at a cost. Sales of medium-duty trucks are also significant.
