SPECIAL REPORT
It Takes a Team: Implementing Alt-Fuel School Buses and
Infrastructure School transportation directors discuss getting grants, funding assistance when ‘greening’ fleets
By Michelle Fisher
decision-makers, along with school bus OEMs and environmental advocacy groups, are confident this slow but sure “greening” of fleets will lead to big savings. Rhea Courtney Bozic, who founded Clean Fuels Consulting in
D
2003 to assist fleet managers with this process, said successful transitions from petroleum-based to clean fuels approved by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) can take years. “Start by having an affordable alternative-fuel feasibility study done
for your fleet, which you can plan into your annual budget,” Bozic said. To obtain funding assistance, she recommended that trans-
portation directors either have a staff member develop expertise in monitoring grants or hire an expert. “Te key is being ready before the grant opportunity comes
out,” added Bozic, whose firm is familiar with DOE-recognized alternative fuels and Clean Cities programs. When the Kansas City (Kan.) Public School District purchased 47
Tomas Built CNG buses, it used a $4-million federal grant through the KC Regional Clean Cities Coalition and matching school-district funds to cover acquisition, infrastructure and equipment. “Te life (until replacement) of a CNG bus in our district is about
30 School Transportation News Magazine April 2012
espite the rampant education cuts punching many school districts, a rising number are purchasing alternative- fuel school buses and necessary infrastructure. District
15 years. In that time, we’ll see more than enough savings to offset our original investment,” said Transportation Director George Taylor. Meanwhile, Dave Meeuwsen, transportation director for Zeeland
(Mich.) Public Schools, did the legwork for a Michigan environmen- tal grant that paid for nine Blue Bird Vision propane buses, while propane provider AmeriGas financed the fueling station. John Clements, transportation director for Kings Canyon (Ca-
lif.) Unified, has become an expert in tapping funding streams to pay for his fleet of CNG, hybrid-electric and all-electric school buses — most recently, a half-million California Air Resources Board grant for three more all-electric eTrans buses by Trans Tech. Overall, his district has received about $2.7 million in fund- ing from local air quality districts and federal incentive programs. “I did much of the homework but also rely on several good
consultants,” Clements said. He currently operates five charge-sustaining hybrid school
buses and one plug-in. Te all-electric bus has a 220-volt charger that mounts on the wall and uses a regular plug, thanks to a $31 adaptor cord built by the district’s electrician. Heidi Hall, a spokesperson for Tomas Built Buses, noted that
school districts may not require new infrastructure if their hybrid buses are charge sustaining, rather than charge depleting. Another “green” option is biodiesel, a lower-emissions fuel
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56