Autogas: The Future for School Buses

As another school year winds down, districts nationwide are looking for ways they can provide the best education and services to their students at the best possible price. One important way districts have saved money—while also improving air quality—has been by switching their school bus fleet from diesel to propane autogas.

From coast to coast, both public and private schools are discovering all the benefits of using autogas to fuel their bus fleets.

The autogas difference

Today, more than 800 public school districts and private schools have made the switch to autogas. And the investment is paying off.

School districts from rural Florida to urban Indianapolis are reporting big savings with their autogas-powered school buses. These savings come in a variety of ways.

The average lifespan of a school bus is between 10-12 years, driving on average 12,000 miles per year. Autogas offers the lowest cost-of-ownership of all sources of school bus fuel. Here’s how.

• Autogas costs less per gallon than diesel or gasoline — and that’s before factoring in possible rebates, incentives, grants and loan on both the state and federal levels.
• Oil and filter changes cost less with autogas, because autogas buses need less engine oil to operate and use less expensive filters that need to be changed less often.
• During cold winters, propane can save districts a bundle. Diesel fuel can freeze in cold weather. That means clogged fuel lines and filters, which takes a bus out of commission. Repairs and scrambling to cover that bus’s route can get pricey. To prevent that, districts have to pay thousands for anti-gelling additives or even engine block heaters. Autogas-powered buses don’t need those, and take much less time to warm up.
• School buses run on autogas can last 30,000 miles longer than a diesel-powered bus.

With all the ways autogas can save a school district money, imagine what that money could be spent on: hiring more teachers, building upgrades, enhancing both the curriculum and extracurricular activities, and more!

Autogas also enhances school bus safety. Engines that run on autogas are much quieter, meaning the students don’t have to yell to converse with their friends, and the driver can better hear what’s going on both inside and outside the bus.

The clean, green choice

With climate change such an urgent topic, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is seen as a positive move.

Changing their school bus fleet to autogas can greatly reduce school districts’ environmental impact. New autogas school buses come with an option for ultra-low nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions; ultra-low means 90% cleaner than most stringent current EPA standards.

Even with the new “clean diesel,” autogas is still the top choice for school bus fuel when it comes to minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.

More than 500 autogas school buses around New York State are making a difference. Get in touch with your area New York autogas supplier today to learn more about how you can bring autogas to your local school bus fleet.