Autogas school bus registrations increase 10 percent in 2016

More than 700,000 students currently ride propane autogas buses to school. Photo courtesy of PERC

Research compiled by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and IHS Markit’s new vehicle registration figures shows that more than 12,000 propane autogas school buses were in operation at public and private school districts at the start of 2017.

Autogas school bus registrations increased by 10 percent in 2016 over 2015 figures, according to PERC. By the end of 2016, more than 700,000 students in 600 school districts across 47 states rode autogas buses to school. Autogas buses now make up more than 45 percent of all non-diesel school buses used for student transportation, PERC adds.

The data also shows that California, Florida, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin each have more than 500 autogas buses in operation. Texas, with 2,600 autogas buses in operation throughout the state, operates more than 20 percent of all autogas buses in the country, according to PERC.

New York boasts the highest number of school districts (more than 50) operating autogas buses. Five other states – Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Texas – have more than 30 school districts apiece using autogas school buses in fleets, PERC says.

“First-time adopters of propane autogas school buses are converting entire fleets after they see for themselves the advantages propane can offer everyone involved, from the transportation directors to the bus drivers to the students riding the propane buses,” says Michael Taylor, director of autogas business development at PERC. “We expect more districts to turn to propane throughout 2017 and beyond as transportation directors learn of the lower total cost of ownership, cleaner and quieter operation, and better maintenance experience that a propane autogas bus fleet can offer a district.”