F
iguring out the total cost of ownership for different types of school buses these days means unpacking various factors and keeping tabs on multiple mov- ing targets. Fuel cost and electricity prices fluctuate.
The regulatory landscape can be changing and unpre- dictable. The length and character of a district’s routes are important to consider, and the weather adds another layer of variability. A bus’ expected lifespan also influ- ences the equation, as do available incentives and state programs. These complicated considerations play out in the dif-
ferent calculations of school districts across the country. Some are banking on propane, others are excited about electric, while others feel most comfortable sticking with diesel or gasoline.
Electric Energy In Oregon, Beaverton School District’s fleet serving
six high schools includes 156 renewable diesel buses, 72 renewable propane and 98 electric buses. Beaverton’s electric buses have had the lowest oper-
ating costs, averaging $464 per month last academic year compared to $693 for propane and $958 for diesel. The diesel and propane buses will have slightly longer lives at 12 to 14 years, whereas the electric buses or at least batteries will be replaced after eight to 10 years in keeping with their warranties. Although, “we will need to evaluate EVs as they are so new and we’re not seeing much battery degradation on the older models,” noted transportation director Craig Beaver. Costs for 50 electric buses were kept low thanks to $19.75 million from the 2023 Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Grant and incremental costs paid for a total of 22 buses by utility Portland Gener- al Electric and the state department of environmental quality. Bonds and regular state bus replacement funds helped with the remainder. “Oregon chose to allow us to use the full purchase price as the amortization base so we would be able to fund replacements when the time came,” said Beaver, noting amortization happens over 10 years in the state. “If they would have only reimbursed for our expenses, there would have been a huge hole eight to 10 years from now.” The district is increasingly using electric buses for its
many sports trips to other districts—up to six buses are needed to transport track teams alone. Beaver noted that total cost of ownership isn’t the only
factor considered. “For EVs, we have learned that the most critical factor,
arguably even more important than cost, is dealer and OEM support,” he said. Beaverton has worked with four different electric
42 School Transportation News • MARCH 2026
OEMs—Blue Bird, RIDE, IC Bus and GreenPower. “Strong communication, reliable parts availability, and a re- sponsive service program are essential for successful EV operations,” Beaver added. Finding parts and maintenance for internal combus-
tion engine buses is straightforward, by comparison. Blue Bird supplied Beaverton propane buses and diesel buses, while IC Bus and Thomas Built also supplied diesel.
Growing on Gas In Alabama, the Jefferson County Schools district is finding gasoline buses to be increasingly competitive with diesel, in part because of rising costs of required Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF). Gasoline buses get 6.1 miles per gallon at a fuel cost of $2.22 per gallon. Diesel gets 7 miles per gallon at $3.01 per gallon. That equates to a cost of 32 cents per gallon for gasoline and 45 cents per gallon for diesel.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ZADA STAMPER
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