began considering alternative fuels in 2013, but found the cost at the time problematic. “We knew the up-front in-
creased asset cost of the CNG bus as well as the massive cost for installing fueling station and shop upgrades was not economically feasible for us,” said Director of Transporta- tion Shawn Brady.
“At that
time, the propane buses were also heavily up-charged.” By 2017 the district had ob- tained grant funding to cover half the cost of installing a pro- pane fueling station, and at the same time the cost of propane had come down. When Grain Valley purchased its first 14 propane school buses in 2018, each unit cost only $250 more than the comparable diesel bus. And the total investment for the fueling station came out to be only $8,000 with the aid of 50 percent grant funding. “We had all of our upfront costs paid off within the first semester of operating them,” Brady noted. He added that working with the district’s single-source vendor for propane has been a smooth process. He negotiates fuel prices 12-18 months in advance and locks in the rate, assuring a fixed per-gallon cost all year long. “Our vendor has the fuel tanks on satellite link and they know when they need to be refilled, so we never have to call to order
fuel.The delivery trucks just show up,” he said. “It couldn’t be easier.” Another plus is that the investment in propane has
A charger for four electric school buses operated by Shenendehowa Central School District in New York.
with some government grant funding to make this in- vestment financially feasible for us,” Brady said. “Also, the manufacturers still have some things to work out before we would be willing to invest even when costs come down.” Experience with different types of fuels has been
decreased diesel usage considerably. “We’re down to only five truckloads of diesel per year now as compared to nine before we started the conversion,” he noted. “And with the federal government providing tax rebates for alternative fuels, the rebate amount pays for an entire truckload of diesel per year. So, our fuel costs are signifi- cantly lower.” Electric school buses are not in Grain Valley’s plans,
however, at least for the time being. “The cost of the electric bus is currently too high, even
60 School Transportation News • NOVEMBER 2024
revealing for Eric Kissel, director of transportation at Laveen School District located southwest of Phoenix, Arizona. Currently his district has 40 diesels, two gaso- line and two electric buses. Soon, assuming approval of the latest EPA Clean School Bus rebate, it will operate an even split of gasoline and electric buses. He also had significant experience with propane while serving in a previous district. There, he said he found that while the cost of propane fluctuated much like die- sel or gasoline, it tended to cost about 40 percent less. While a desirable strategy in the long run, Laveen’s
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