Ohio transit company to add propane-fueled buses

Laketran, a regional transit authority for Lake County, Ohio, plans to add eight propane-fueled Dial-a-Ride buses to its fleet, which includes 80 buses in all.

Laketran plans to purchase the buses from TESCO Bus Corp. of Oregon, Ohio. According to Mass Transit Magazine, Laketran will receive the buses in spring 2017.

Superior Energy Systems is installing the refueling infrastructure, which includes a 30,000-gallon storage tank with two dispensers and three fueling points.

Laketran expects to experience 35 percent fuel savings with the new buses. Ben Capelle, Laketran’s deputy general manager, estimates Laketran will save about $20 a day per vehicle it converts to autogas

“We were presented with an unusual situation where our traditional diesel bus was no longer going to be manufactured,” says Brian Falkowski, Laketran’s board president, to Mass Transit Magazine. “Researching new vehicles and alternative fuels led us to propane, and we’re very excited about the cost savings and new funding opportunities it offers.”