Propane Autogas School Buses Make the Grade

The mass adoption of alternatively fueled school buses is sweeping the nation. Every day, hundreds of thousands of students are transported to school in buses operating on propane autogas. Last year 10 percent of Type C buses sold in the U.S. ran on autogas. You can find Blue Bird autogas buses in almost every state. These numbers are on the rise as more school districts learn about the advantages and versatility of autogas powered buses. I spoke with an industry leader last week and they believe the adoption rate will exceed 50 percent in the next three years.

Broward County Public Schools, the nation’s sixth largest school district, is the latest to purchase Blue Bird Propane-Powered Vision school buses equipped with the ROUSH CleanTech fuel system. The county expects a short six-month return on investment for the additional cost of the 98 alternative fuel buses — and then substantial savings in reduced operating costs over the lifetime of the buses.

In Texas, Alvin Independent School District is realizing huge returns on their 68 buses fueled by autogas. Each year, the district saves approximately $5,000 in operational costs and reduces about 152,700 pounds of carbon dioxide per bus.

Mesa Public Schools in Arizona is another school district saving with autogas. With a fleet of 68 Type C and 21 Type A buses, the district saves 82 percent per gallon compared to diesel and expects a savings of $4.43 million over five years by operating this alternative fuel.

Here are some quick facts about the industry-leading Blue Bird Propane-Powered Vision school bus:

• Manufactured on a purpose-built Blue Bird chassis.
• Equipped with the 6.8-liter V10 engine that powers over 1.2 million Ford commercial trucks today.
• Delivers 362 horsepower and 457-lb-ft. of torque.
• Available in two fuel tank sizes: The standard fuel tank holds 67 usable gallons, and the 93 usable gallon extended range tank boasts the industry’s largest.
• Compliant with FMVSS, CMVSS, NHTSA, NFPA-58, EPA and CARB regulations.

We also manufacture an autogas fuel system for the Micro Bird G5, a Type A bus. We use the Ford E-450 cutaway with a 6.8-liter V10 engine for this model, which carries the same certifications.

As you replace your aging diesel buses, take a look at the fuel hundreds of districts across the nation are using – propane autogas. Call us today at 800.59.ROUSH to find out how. We can help you make the transition to a cleaner, more cost effective and domestic energy source.