nomical taxes.” “I just purchased a bus with two slots for wheelchairs, A/C, automatic chains,” for under $200,000, Stamper added.
Props for Propane Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing for propane-autogas system maker ROUSH CleanTech, argues that the changing regulato-
ry landscape could give propane an advantage over other fuels, as the current administration doesn’t prioritize vehicle electrification, and tightening standards for nitrogen oxide (NOx) will mean more costs for diesel buses to comply. Mouw predicted “2026 will be a very
interesting year for bus replacement.” “There will still be funding avail-
able for EV buses through the Clean School Bus Program as well as a few states,” he continued. “In general, it feels like with the regime change in Washington, D.C., the focus on elec- trifying everything in transportation has shifted to more common sense, domestically produced and sourced energy that does not require subsi- dy to make the economics work. As districts realize that the significant federal subsidy for EV will likely come to an end, they want to continue down a path that reduces their carbon footprint in an economically viable way. Propane provides the best total cost of ownership of any technology in this sector.” Mouw said propane currently offers a 25- to 30- cents per mile savings over diesel, meaning a propane bus can easily save a district $3,500 per year per bus on fuel. Over a dozen years, that $40,000 could be spent elsewhere in the district or on the bus fleet. Such savings may be especially crucial if federal funding for districts is reduced, as many expect, though extreme cuts may have been avoided this year. And he said he expects fuel price
"At RIDE, we don’t just build electric buses. We build peace of mind, powered by safe, smart, and thoroughly tested energy systems designed specifically for school and transit environments."
Schedule a demo today. 48 School Transportation News • MARCH 2026 Bella Ma Account Manager
differential to increase as the EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) are expected to tighten NOx standards from 0.2 to 0.035 grams per brake horsepower hour. “These NOx changes will make it
more difficult for the diesel engines as it will basically require a doubling of the current aftertreatment system to comply,” said Mouw. “With that will come a lot of cost, complexity and confusion amongst the custom- er base.” ●
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