Rows of propane and diesel school buses operated by Snohomish School District. Propane buses reduce NOx emissions compared to diesel, run quieter, and funnel cost savings to the classroom.
Township High School District 211 transports 9,000 of
its 13,000 students throughout 62 square miles. Its fleet of 163 buses includes 58 Type C diesel, 80 Type C pro- pane and 25 Type A gasoline buses for routes servicing students with disabilities. “We started with 15 propane buses in 2018,” explained
Mikelski. “We were looking to move buses to behind a school but found the diesel smoke was being pulled into the school by the school’s air handlers. The Blue Bird propane buses have long exceeded the NOx reduction standards and currently meet the new initiative coming in 2027.” For its student riders with disabilities, the absence of die- sel smoke helps those with breathing issues, Mikelski said. “The reduced noise level is having a beneficial effect as
well,” she said, adding it’s a benefit for students, drivers and neighborhoods where buses run their routes. Meanwhile, the Snohomish School District in Sno-
homish, Washington transports 7,500 out of its 10,000 students throughout 126 square miles. The fleet has one ESB and received a grant from the EPA Clean School Bus Program for three additional ESBs expected to be added within the next year. Also in the fleet are 41 propane-fueled buses. The
district received an EPA grant rebate to purchase 11 ad- ditional propane-fueled buses, noted Veronica Schmidt, transportation director. The fleet also has 17 diesel-fueled buses and 16 gas-fu- eled buses. While the other buses are used for to/from school, the diesel-fueled buses—providing larger rider capacity with full under compartment storage—are used for extracurricular trips. The district’s first two propane buses went into service in
May 2015. The first ESB went into service in January 2022. Schmidt noted “propane can reduce NOx emissions by up to 96 percent compared to diesel in certain appli-
Read more about NREL’s comparison of propane and diesel at
stnonline.com/go/mf. 50 School Transportation News • JUNE 2025
PHOTO CREDIT: SNOHOMISH SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WASHINGTON
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