The EPA’s Clean School Bus Program is Open!

Your NY School District Can Apply for Federal Funds for Autogas Buses

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program opened on May 20, 2022. The program is open for 90 days, closing on August 19, 2022. This program, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, exponentially increases the amount of funding available toward clean school bus purchases, and $250 million will be put towards “alternative fuel school buses,” including low-emissions propane!

Who Should Apply to the Program?

All school districts can apply for funds. However, the Clean School Bus Program provides “priority selection criteria” to three types of school bus fleets:

• High Need School Districts and low-income areas based on the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) as having 20% or more students living in poverty. You can study these districts using the SAIPE mapping feature. If your district isn’t listed in SAIPE, there is a “self-certification” potential that can apply to charter schools having 20% or more students residing in poverty.
• Rural School Districts with locale codes “43-Rural: Remote” and “42- Rural: Distant,” as identified by the National Center for Education Studies.
• Tribal School Districts

For a good introduction to the Clean School Bus Program, check out School Transportation News’ excellent article.

How to Apply for Clean School Bus Program Funds

Navigating the EPA’s application process can be somewhat complicated, but if you follow the directions exactly, you have a chance of receiving funding through the program.

The first necessary step is registering for a System for Awards Management account (SAM). You should start this process now — it’s time-consuming and can take weeks. A SAM is a federal government registration account needed for any federal program. Before you start, find out if your organization already has this because you do not want to duplicate registrations. If you do not have it, you will need information on many details of the organization. We recommend that your finance department make this account, as they should have all the necessary information. They should place a person from the Transportation Department into the “points of contact” section, as whoever submits the EPA application must be one of the e-mails listed in the account.

SAM is the placeholder in the federal database system that allows the feds to recognize your organization, find you, pay your grant money and other important things. It is ESSENTIAL to do this correctly.

The federal government has generated a SAM Quick Start Guide, which you can look at here.

Bear in mind that you will receive many log-in accounts and special numbers — keep careful track of this log-in information. The system will generate an MPIN, which is a crucial number that must be saved carefully (they do not tell you this in the process). Likewise, the system will generate a CAGE code for the organization, which is also a significant number to save.

Remember, whomever you list as the government business point of contact (EBIZ POC) is a vital role. All the account administration and the ability to edit your account flows through their e-mail address.

The Bottom Line

With New York State’s recent move towards legislating “zero-emission school buses” — meaning electric school buses — now is the time to acquire affordable, low-emissions propane vehicles. Propane is substantially less expensive than diesel or gasoline, and the increased cost of a propane school bus is small (approximately $7,500) in comparison to electric.

The EPA’s Clean School Bus Program requires the scrapping or removal of existing buses. Please review the program to understand which vehicles qualify and which don’t. For a propane school bus, you would be required to scrap a 2010 or older diesel unit.

You can access the EPA’s Clean School Bus program web page here. We recommend that you sign up for the EPA’s explanatory webinars. Also, your local Clean Cities Coalition should be able to offer some advice. Get started now!

Propane Buses Give NY School Districts Big Savings

There’s a reason why more school districts across the country have embraced propane autogas for their bus fleets.

At the start of the 2020-21 school year, more than 20,000 propane autogas buses in more than 1,000 school district were being used in fleets at both public and private school districts. That’s an annual increase of about 10% and the first full year that the number of school districts using propane-powered school buses have topped 1,000 school districts or contractors.*

Since 2012, there has been an outstanding 960% growth in the number of propane autogas school buses on the road in America. All told, these buses transport more than 1.2 million students in 48 states. What’s more, 14 states each boast in excess of 500 propane autogas buses.

Repeat purchases of propane autogas school buses are another trend. Data show that more than 60% of school districts with Type C propane autogas school buses put additional propane buses into use. That makes propane the most popular alternative fuel for the school bus industry.

The reason for this continued growth? It’s the combination of cost-savings and environmental benefits that school districts realize.

Propane School Buses And New York State

For New York’s part, our state already has more than 730 of these “green” buses at nearly 100 school districts/contractors.

According to the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), an estimated 634,000 pounds of emissions could be reduced per year if 2019 propane-powered buses replaced the state’s 2007-2014 model year diesel-fueled buses. Emissions would be reduced even further if model year 1992-2006 diesel buses were replaced by new propane models.

School districts in New York and across the country have gained enormous fuel savings by using propane autogas instead of diesel fuel. It’s estimated that the cost per mile for a propane school bus is 19¢, compared to 80¢ per mile for a “clean diesel” bus.

Additionally, propane-powered school buses perform better in cold weather than diesel-powered buses. They start more easily and heat the interior faster so that windows are defrosted quickly. The alternative fuel engine also is quieter than a diesel engine but packs a similar amount of power.

Engine Conversions, Fueling Stations And Deliveries

If you’re interested in powering your fleet with propane, your local propane company can help. Ask about converting your vehicles, setting up a propane fueling station at your property or arranging for on-site fueling on a regular schedule. Your propane company may even be able to help you qualify for alternative fuel incentives to help you save even more!

*Based on data compiled by the Propane Education and Research Council from IHS Polk new vehicle registration figures.

Propane Autogas Vs. Electric Vehicles: Which Is Cleaner?

There has been much talk about achieving net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050, and transitioning to all-electric vehicles has been a part of the conversation because electricity is considered a “clean fuel” by many.

Although a battery-powered all-electric car itself doesn’t produce any emissions, the power plant that generates the electricity used to charge those batteries probably does.

And those power plants, many of them coal-fired, are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas pollution in the United States.

While production of electric vehicles and related infrastructure continues to grow, some technology remains in the development stage. In contrast, propane autogas has seen impressive technology advances in the last decade, providing fleets with reliable performance and savings while reducing emissions.

Start-up Costs

For an electric fleet of vehicles, the power requirements for multiple charging stations dramatically increase site preparation costs. Other add-on costs include the trenching, conduits, cables, and repaving required to run a power line to the charging center. Owners of electric fleets also have to invest in charging management software to adequately maintain charging schedules for multiple vehicles. With propane autogas, you have options for infrastructure setups that keep your costs under control. Outside of routine maintenance, propane autogas infrastructure doesn’t require additional costs after installation.

Efficient Refueling With Autogas

Charging electric fleets around the clock means keeping those vehicles off the road for long periods of time. And once they are fully charged, their range is limited compared to an autogas-powered vehicle. Refueling a propane autogas vehicle is safe and quick, taking a similar amount of time as fueling with gasoline or diesel.

Converting Engines To Autogas

For fleet owners who want the cost benefits of propane autogas but need the flexibility of a gasoline backup or who aren’t ready to purchase new vehicles, EPA-certified bi-fuel conversion kits can be installed on existing vehicles. They provide the same type of horsepower, torque and towing capacity as conventionally fueled versions of the same models, all while holding down operating costs.

Explore Autogas Services

If you’re interested in powering your fleet with propane, your local propane company can help. You can look for a supplier here or a conversion installer here.

Ask about converting your vehicles, setting up a propane fueling station at your property or arranging for on-site fueling on a regular schedule.

Feel free to reach out to a conversion installer or an autogas supplier to learn about all of the options you have for your business.

Alternative Fuels, Vehicles, And Sources

So what is an alternative fuel? Simply put, it’s anything that bypasses the two big traditional petroleum fuels: gasoline and diesel. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 included propane in its definition of an alternative fuel.

According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, 60% of alternative-fuel vehicles nationwide run on propane, from school buses and fleet trucks to forklifts, lawnmowers and farm tractors. Overall, autogas is the third most popular vehicle fuel, next to gasoline and diesel. 

Autogas is the term used to describe propane when it is used as a fuel for vehicles. Autogas is the world’s most popular alternative fuel. In fact, there are more than 300,000 vehicles in the U.S. that have been manufactured or converted to use autogas.

Its popularity has led to an array of innovations in OEM-supported vehicles that use the fuel, including light- and medium-duty trucks, vans and shuttles.

Additionally, there are now about 15,000 propane-powered buses in the country transporting nearly one million children to school each day, and that number keeps increasing.

Buses fueled with propane autogas are crash-tested for impact in the side and rear, meeting rigorous motor vehicle safety standards.

Propane School Bus Facts

Kids are benefiting from a healthier ride to and from school as well because propane school buses get an A+ as far as meeting emissions standards is concerned. Studies have shown that, when compared with the old diesel buses they have replaced, buses fueled by propane autogas:

• emit 80% fewer smog-producing hydrocarbons
• reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions by about 10,000 pounds
• lower particulate matter by 315 pounds

Propane vs. diesel vehicles: which saves you more?

Here are three key areas where propane-fueled vehicles have an edge over diesel powered ones.

Fuel: You can generally count on an average savings of 30 to 40 % per mile driven with autogas, considering both the cost of the fuel itself and expected fuel economy. The cost of wholesale propane falls between the cost of oil and natural gas—propane’s two fuel sources. Because of this, propane autogas consistently costs less than diesel fuel, even when prices fluctuate.

Fluids: New, lower emissions diesel technology presents extra costs because diesel emissions fluid needs to be purchased, stored and changed. Plus, in cold temperatures, diesel vehicles need anti-gel fluids to prevent fuel filters and fuel lines from clogging. If your fleet runs on propane autogas, you will benefit from reliable performance in any type of weather without the need and extra expense of additional fluids.

Filters: To meet emissions requirements, today’s diesel technology requires diesel particulate filters that must be cleaned. Excessive idling accelerates cleaning intervals. These extra maintenance expenses just add more to the total cost of ownership.

Propane vs. electric vehicles: which is cleaner?

There has been much talk about achieving net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050, and transitioning to all-electric vehicles has been a big part of the conversation because electricity is considered a “clean fuel” by many.

Although a battery-powered electric car itself doesn’t produce any emissions, the power plant that generates the electricity used to charge those batteries probably does.

And those power plants, many of them coal-fired, are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas pollution in the United States.

Converting engines to autogas

For fleet owners who want the cost benefits of propane autogas but need the flexibility of a gasoline backup or who aren’t ready to purchase new vehicles, EPA-certified bi-fuel conversion kits can be installed on existing vehicles.

You can count on propane refueling technology to deliver as dependably as the vehicles themselves. Refueling with propane autogas is quick, quiet and safe. It’s the same experience as refueling with diesel or gasoline, making the transition to propane autogas easy for fleets.

Please contact a local propane supplier to find out about autogas fuel services or reach out to an autogas conversion specialist in your area.

Propane School Buses and the New Normal

As school districts work through the myriad challenges of the 2020-21 academic year, one obstacle to overcome is the safe transportation of students—for those districts who have opted for in-classroom learning in some form.

Social distancing guidelines will require fewer children per bus, and some districts may need more school buses to transport students during this “new normal.”

With the budgets of most school districts under tremendous strain because of the necessity of implementing CDC-recommended safety protocols, some are turning to autogas-powered school buses for an answer to their cost-cutting needs.

How propane cuts autogas costs

Savings from adding propane school buses to a fleet come in a variety of ways.

• 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.
• Propane is 93% more cost-effective compared to the best-in-class diesel, costing only 19-cents per mile compared to diesel at 80-cents per mile.
• 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.
• 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 expensive. To prevent this problem with diesel buses, districts have to pay thousands of dollars 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 fueled by autogas can last 30,000 miles longer than a diesel-powered bus.
• Many propane suppliers will work with fleet owners to create a contract that allows districts to lock in a set price per gallon for the year.

Safety and health

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.

New autogas school buses also 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 advent of new “clean diesel,” autogas is still the top choice for school bus fuel when it comes to minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.

Get in touch with your area New York autogas supplier or conversion installer today to learn more about how you can bring autogas to your local school bus fleet.

Source: Propane Education and Research Council.