Propane school buses are hitting the road in 2016
MARQUETTE COUNTY — While teachers, moms and kids are getting ready for the first day of school, set to take place next month, so are school districts.
Shopping for school supplies and clothes are synonymous for the first day of school, but when you are a school district, you shop for things like, well…a school bus.
Most schools try and replace buses on a regular basis. The cost of a bus can run anywhere from $65,000 – $90,000, so a pragmatic plan is necessary.
Ishpeming School Superintendent John Summerhills says, “Transportation in pretty important, you are putting young people on those buses, it’s a moving classroom and you need them to be safe so we try to budget for a new bus almost every year, when one comes in, one goes out.”
Blue Bird, a leading manufacturer of school buses just introduced it’s new Gasoline Powered Type C Vision School Bus. The propane autogas costs 50% less than diesel fuel, has reduced gas emissions and can start up in temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees.
“It’s pretty cold so some of the alternative fuel and things like that make it a challenge for the schools around the area,” continued Summerhill.
An Indiana school district is the first to Purchase the Blue Bird Propane Vision buses, replacing their diesel buses with clean propane autogas.