SPECIAL REPORT He added that a result could be some states and school


districts being forced to relax replacement programs and again “carry those buses for 20 years” or even longer. Diesel-powered school buses are built to last several


decades. The same should hold true for other fuels and energy. But diesel buses of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s were ultra-high polluters. EPA mandates have reduced particulate matter and NOx by 98 percent from the late 1980s and projected through 2025. Despite starting to phase out diesel (the newest and


last order of Type C conventional buses are model year 2017, though the district did purchase several Type D transit-style diesels last year for longer trips) and explor- ing battery-electric, Williams said he’s not ready to rule out the internal combustion engine just yet. For starters, Cy-Fair bought 365 propane-powered school buses last year and is purchasing more. And Williams said he is interested in transitioning to renewable diesel. Meanwhile, thousands of districts nationwide contin-


ue with new diesel purchases despite the trend toward zero- or low-emissions alternatives. But diesel and forced regeneration is costing more and more to main- tain, the main reason gasoline re-entered the Type C conventional space with a vengeance six years ago. New technology is addressing some of those costs, at least for model years 2017 and newer buses. Just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cummins and


Zonar released Zonar OTAir. It is essentially a software update that allows Zonar to download from Cummins the latest engine control module data to address engine health and functionality in 2017 or newer models. When traditionally a fleet would need to perform an engine update, staff would have to schedule a work order for the affected buses and potentially remove them from service. The proper number of computer laptops would need to be available to plug into the engine, or the buses would need to be sent to an authorized dealer to perform the updates. With OTAir, all bus drivers or maintenance staff need is a cell phone or a tablet to access the Zonar app. Michigan-based school bus contractor Dean Trans-


portation uses OTAir in about 450 of its over 1,650 school buses. “We found it that it certainly improves efficiency and allows us to keep our engines up to date in a more efficient manner than the traditional plug in and update,” said Christopher Dean, the company’s vice president of technology. “We can literally walk bus to bus, scan the QR code within the app, and start start the update. There is a real-time savings there because, essentially, we can get 50 units all going at the same time.” When OTAir was released, Zonar said the solution


could save fleets about $120 per bus four times a year, citing the cost at the time of engine updates performed at a dealer. Fleet managers of 100 buses could therefore expect to save $48,000 a year.


16 School Transportation News • OCTOBER 2022


It Will Take a Village The school bus industry needs a host of fuels to get


where it needs to go. That’s where Cummins’ agnostic engine figures to move the needle and reduce costs at the same time. As widely reported on February, the company announced one engine platform for its B6.7 and L Series applications with unique cylinder heads to support CNG, diesel, gasoline, propane, and hydrogen. Cummins is still eyeing a phased release of the new engine in the first half of 2024, with the first slated to be a 15-liter for Peterbuilt trucks. Gasoline will be the first B6.7 release for school buses, according to Cummins, likely followed by propane. Hydrogen will come next, at least for other medium-duty vehicles. A hydrogen internal combustion engine is not thought to be a good candidate for school buses because it is cost-prohibitive for school districts to implement and operate. Daniel Gage, president of natural gas advocate


NGVAmerica, noted that near-zero emissions CNG school buses more affordable than electric are already on the road. According to the federal government’s AFLEET emissions tool, the average cost of a battery-electric bus is $300,000, though the latest figures School Transportation News received have ESB price tags trending over $400,000. “A natural gas unit is [currently] $130,000 per unit,” Gage added. Plus, he pointed out, natural gas operates as a 1:1 replace-


ment for gasoline or diesel, sharing a proven track record of extended range on a fully filled tank. “And range is not affected by severe hot or cold temperatures,” he added. “With similar range capabilities, no additional buses or drivers are required, an important consideration in today’s tight labor market where driver availability is a problem.” Natural gas shares similar pump price savings with its


propane cousin, especially as the federal Inflation Re- duction Act extended the $0.50 per gallon equivalent tax credit, and savings to be had on maintenance, though the latter doesn’t come with the added infrastructure costs. Both fuels hold the distinction of being largely produced domestically, and they both have potential as renewable al- ternatives that can push the carbon index to zero or below. “The propane industry has invested heavily in a renew-


able propane offering, which significantly reduces the carbon intensity of the fuel as compared to traditional pro- pane,” said Todd Mouw, executive vice president of ROUSH CleanTech, which boasts the lion’s share of the over 20,000 propane-powered school bus in operation nationwide. “It is commercially available today and supply and demand continue to grow. We are also looking at ways to blend renewable propane with renewable [dimethyl ether] to further reduce our environmental impact. “All of these investments point to one thing … we


believe that propane has a long runway over the next de- cade to help school districts meet their economic needs and sustainability goals.” ●


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