Connecticut schools make commitments to autogas

Hocon Gas installed an 18,000-gallon tank for Waterbury Public Schools. Photo courtesy of Hocon Gas.

Two Connecticut school districts made sizable commitments to propane autogas school buses.

Waterbury Public Schools in Waterbury, Connecticut, plans to add 149 IC Bus CE Series propane-fueled school buses to its fleet. In addition, Newtown Public Schools in Fairfield County, Connecticut, plans to phase in 50 autogas school buses to its fleet over a four-year period, according to the Newtown Bee.

In Waterbury’s instance, Durham School Services will provide the buses to the school district. According to IC Bus, this order marks the largest deployment of propane-powered school buses in Connecticut.

The Power Solutions International 8.8-liter LP propane engine powers each of the CE Series buses. The school district began to receive deliveries of the buses in June and will finish receiving them at the end of summer, IC Bus adds. Waterbury awarded East River Energy the contract to supply propane to operate the new fleet, and Durham School Services selected Hocon Gas to set an 18,000-gallon storage tank at Waterbury’s bus depot.

In Newtown’s instance, All-Star Transportation will provide buses. The propane-fueled buses will gradually replace diesel buses in the district’s fleet.