Largest Propane Bus Fleet in Canada
Pacific Western Transportation, the largest privately owned passenger transportation company in Canada, has been operating since 1957. Environmental sustainability is at the core of the company, and propane the foundation for its student transportation division. Kirkman Bus Sales’ Jason Kirkman worked with PWT’s President and CEO Tom Jezersek to increase its fleet to over 750 propane school buses. This makes it the largest fleet of propane school buses in Canada!
Before adopting Blue Bird propane buses, PWT ran IC buses, but experienced financial losses due to lack of uptime. If the buses were down, it meant they had to have a higher spare bus ratio. Jason started stopping by PWT monthly, introducing a new Blue Bird benefit each time he visited. The strategy worked, and Jason earned PWT’s business.
PWT experienced immediate savings on routine maintenance and projects more savings on long-term maintenance. The company appreciates that the buses help reduce its carbon footprint. According to PWT, its propane fleet has removed 2,363 metric tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) from entering the atmosphere this year alone! That’s equivalent to preventing 506 passenger vehicles being driven for a year. PWT also values that with propane, no one can steal the fuel. And the drivers like that the propane buses heat up so quickly.
All of PWT’s propane buses have been purchased without subsidies or incentives as they are not offered in Canada, proving that propane buses pencil out with no handout, and in a big way.
Congratulations to Tom and PWT on having the largest propane school bus fleet in Canada and the third largest in North America!
