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.
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.
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.
A handful of special-interest groups and vehicle manufacturers would like you to believe that one of the biggest trends in Minnesota today is vehicle electrification. The reality, though, is that only a small group of school districts has been able to adopt electric buses due to insurmountable costs, deep concerns about grid reliability and vehicle performance, and extended manufacturer delays.
The community of Browning is about 45 miles south of the Canadian border inside of the Blackfeet Indian Nation, just west of Glacier National Park in northwest Montana. Browning Public Schools is the district that serves nearly 2,000 students in the area, a region U.S. News and World Report classifies in its school rankings as “fringe rural.”
Blue Bird’s Steven Whaley, alternative fuels manager for the school bus manufacturer, first reviewed the company’s diesel, gasoline, propane and electric school bus options as well as deployment numbers, pricing comparison and clean energy statistics.
Propane, he said during Sunday’s Lunch and Learn session, has a low carbon intensity footprint, is safe enough to use for cooking and is domestically produced. Blue Bird’s propane bus, he specified, was certified to an ultra-low NOx emissions level. He added that propane buses are suited for both rural and urban settings, plus their quiet operation means students arrive at school calmer.
In an effort to save on operating costs and help protect the environment, BeST Transit is converting its fleet to operate on propane autogas.
Working closely with Roush CleanTech, Ferrellgas and Coach & Equipment, along with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, BeST now has six propane-fueled, fixed-route buses in service, moving the authority closer to its goal of having 70 percent of the fleet running on propane.
