Detroit Public Schools adopts autogas for 35 buses

Pictured in front of ABC Student Transportation’s 12,000-gallon propane tank, from left: Roush CleanTech’s Todd Mouw, Blue Flame Propane’s John Foster, Detroit Public Schools’ James Minnick, ABC Student Transportation’s Brian Flaggs and Blue Bird’s Ryan Zic. Photo: Detroit Public Schools

Detroit Public Schools and its transportation provider, ABC Student Transportation, made an investment in 35 Blue Bird Propane Vision school buses for the 2015-16 school year.

An announcement was made Wednesday at a press event that ABC Student Transportation hosted at a Detroit facility. Several people tied to the project spoke at the event, including Blue Flame Propane‘s John Foster, Roush CleanTech‘s Todd Mouw and Blue Bird‘s Ryan Zic.

According to a press release, the fleet of propane autogas school buses, equipped with a Ford 6.8-liter V10 engine powered by Roush CleanTech propane autogas fuel systems, is the largest in the state of Michigan.

ABC Student Transportation expects to experience significant fuel-cost savings through adoption of the autogas buses. According to a press release, ABC Student Transportation pays 74 cents per gallon for propane autogas and about $3 per gallon for diesel.

The investment presents a business opportunity for Michigan-based Blue Flame Propane, which installed the propane fueling infrastructure for ABC Student Transportation. Blue Flame Propane President John Foster says his company has a 15-year history with ABC Student Transportation as a diesel provider. Now, Blue Flame Propane will deliver autogas to ABC Student Transportation.

“We’re a small regional propane supplier,” says Foster, whose company installed a 12,000-gallon propane tank on ABC Student Transportation’s property. “This is big for us to come down to the city of Detroit and have dignitaries here, [including] the governor’s office. We’re very excited. This opens a whole new avenue for us.”