"I think some schools are switching to try and be better for the environment," said Marty Marks, transportation director for the Neosho School District. "There are some higher costs up front because your propane bus does cost a bit more. But in the long run, you're going to save money on fuel costs and have overall better emissions for the environment."
Marks said the district has found propane a cleaner option than diesel, and cheaper too.
In 2014, the district bought its first propane buses, initially purchasing 18. Marks said the propane buses are reliable, and the district is going forward with buying a couple of propane buses every year as it replaces aging vehicles in the fleet.
The propane buses were purchased on a three-year lease from bus manufacturer Blue Bird. To fuel the buses, the district entered into a multiyear fuel contract with propane supplier AmeriGas Inc., receiving a rebate of $2,000 per bus at the time of purchase. As part of the contract, AmeriGas installed a fueling station for the district, providing the up-front costs for the station.
The district also received another $20,000 from the Missouri Propane Education and Research Council's propane rebate program.
Marks estimates the district saves anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 a year per bus on fuel, and another $2,000 per bus on maintenance, depending on usage.
Propane buses adapt well to the challenges of the district, Marks said. The district covers a lot of rural areas, and the propane buses have good power for climbing hills. They also heat up more quickly for students in the winter.
"I think a lot of people are sort of skeptical because this isn't what we're used to," Marks said. "We're used to gasoline and diesel. I think the same thing goes now for electric school buses. Anytime you make a change, I think it's an adjustment you have to get used to."
Marks said propane buses also are quieter. That's an advantage to drivers because they can hear students better, helping drivers monitor their passengers. This can sometimes come as a surprise to students, when bus cameras and drivers can pick up on their conversations better.
"I don't even know if students realize it, but we're able to hear them better on the bus now," Marks said with a laugh.
Steve Ahrens, chief strategy officer with the Missouri Propane Education and Research Council, said he's seeing interest statewide in converting to propane buses, although interest doesn't always turn into action.
"They're looking down the road, and they're starting to understand the federal government is going to make it very difficult to operate diesel vehicles, starting in about 2027," Ahrens said. "We've had lots of interest from school districts that may or may not have adopted it, starting off on a minor scale. People are looking at it, it just takes a while."
Ahrens said for interested school districts there's layers of funding available, such as through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, which provides funding from the federal government. In the future, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will have money for adoption of low-emission buses. There's also state funding and rebates for fuel and infrastructure.
ELECTRIC BUSES
Other Southwest Missouri districts have made a transition to electric school buses. In 2022, two area school districts were recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program rebate competition.
The program awarded $21.8 million overall from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 26 school districts in Missouri. Grants of $5.1 million went to El Dorado Springs School District for 13 buses and $1.9 million to Cassville for five school buses. Both school districts elected to purchase electric school buses with the funds.
Marks said Neosho decided to continue with propane over electric because with electric buses there are still many unknowns. The biggest unknown is the exact lifespan of the batteries for an electric school bus. Also, the price of an electric school bus is almost four times the cost of a propane bus.
Because the Neosho district has been using the propane buses for so long, they've become a reference point for other districts starting to explore alternative fuels. Marks said he's happy to educate and share Neosho's experience. The district recently held an event at its transportation center, inviting other schools to see its buses and benefits.
"I think some of the people who came had some positive things to say about them," Marks said. "I think they just need to go back to their administrators and see if the budget allows it."
©2024 The Joplin Globe (Joplin, Mo.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
