Volkswagen Update: September 2019
As of September, states have announced over $150 million in Volkswagen Settlement awards. These funds have deployed nearly 1,900 vehicles and construction / installation of over 600 electric vehicle chargers. Transit buses have seen the largest amount of investment of $55 million, while school buses have had the largest number of deployments of 990 vehicles.
Propane buses account for almost 500 of those 990 bus deployments. And, over 400 of those are Blue Bird Vision Propane buses! One specific example that shows how our effectiveness has increased is that the first round in Louisiana was 40 percent propane / 60 percent diesel. The second round took a huge turn with 70 percent propane / 30 percent diesel.
We’ve had many successes with the EMT funding school buses fueled by propane autogas, such as in Lafayette, Louisiana and various districts in Nebraska. In Iowa, 100 percent of the applications seeking propane school buses were funded. And in Tennessee, 14 districts won funding to replace diesel school buses with alternatively fueled buses.
The Propane Education & Research Council’s new resource center offers in-depth information about propane school buses, including a state-by-state map with details regarding how to identify and apply for Volkswagen settlement funds. You can learn more about the benefits of propane autogas, how to accurately evaluate NOx reductions, and how to calculate the total cost savings for propane autogas. Remember, only $150 million of the $2.9 billion fund has been awarded. There is still a tremendous amount of opportunity out there.
Please contact Chelsea Jenkins at Chelsea.Jenkins@roush.com to discuss how best to approach and plan for the next phase of Volkswagen settlement (and other funding) opportunities in your state. Visit www.roushcleantech.com/volkswagen-settlement for more information.
