What you should know about propane transit vehicles
Each year, Americans utilize transit agencies for more than 7 billion trips within their communities. Many of those transit customers are students, seniors and people with disabilities, making transit agencies a vital part of the U.S. ecosystem.
The most commonly used form of transit vehicle is a bus — and a growing number of those buses are operating with propane autogas. In fact, there are more than 7,000 transit and paratransit propane buses on U.S. roads today.
Agencies like San Diego Metropolitan Transit and The Rapid are leading the charge in transitioning to clean-operating propane buses to support their sustainability and public health goals.
As a clean, sustainable fuel, propane autogas helps transit agencies provide cost-effective public transportation by opening the door for federal funding through programs like the Federal Transit Administration’s New Model Bus Testing Program (“Altoona Testing”) and the Buy America program, offering low up-front infrastructure costs, reducing maintenance costs by up to 50% and cutting per gallon fuel costs by 40-50%.
Here are some of my favorite stories from our transit customers about their propane buses.
“Each year, our agency saves $12,500 for each propane paratransit vehicle in fuel costs compared with the equivalent gasoline model.” — Tim Geibel, transportation director, Crawford Area Transportation Authority (Pennsylvania)
“In the past eight months, our seven propane buses have traveled a combined 75,000 miles, saving our agency more than $150,000 in fuel costs. Propane is an EPA-certified clean fuel alternative, helping reduce emissions and improve air quality.” — Whitney Ehresman, transportation director, Allegan County Transportation (Michigan)
“The fuel savings from autogas pays for the capital reinvestment within the first year. We’re receiving a direct savings to our operating budget.” — John T. Sisson, CEO, DART (Delaware)
We have so many more stories that showcase how transit agencies have been able to stay mission-focused and serve their communities by adopting propane autogas buses, and I’d love to share them with you! Please reach out at any time to learn more about how our innovative propane fuel systems are helping thousands of transit customers lead their communities forward.
Here’s what I’m reading this month:
- Blue Bird’s electric and propane medium-duty options
- Propane offers a strong alternative fuel for Morgantown mass transit
- From Michigan’s country roads to city highways, propane vehicles handle it all
Chelsea Uphaus
Director of Marketing
ROUSH CleanTech
