Derek Roch

Liberty Public Schools, a 17-campus district outside of Kansas City, Missouri replaced aging diesel school buses with 10 propane models as part of its commitment to asset longevity, maintenance integrity and keeping taxpayer dollars in the classroom. With the addition of the new propane buses, the district’s maintenance shop earned the fleet excellence award, which is given by the state highway patrol to school districts that are excellent at maintaining their fleet. And, within the first year of operating the propane buses, the district saved $56,562 in fuel costs.

While fleets across many industries are making the switch to electric vehicles, it’s important to remember that electrification is not the only option. As we collectively walk the path to zero emissions, propane autogas — and renewable propane, in particular — is one of the most important alternative fuels along the journey. In fact, renewable propane has a carbon intensity five times lower than diesel. Adopting propane autogas is easier than ever, and it is incentivized by state and federal tax credits and other rebate programs.

Two laws enacted within the past 12 months – the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (November 2021) and the Inflation Reduction Act (August 2022) – aim to advance the nation’s clean energy economy and include multiple incentives for propane.