Georgia school district runs 25 percent of buses on autogas

The Bibb County School District in Macon, Ga., has grown the number of Blue Bird Propane Vision Type C buses it operates from 31 in 2014 to 53 today, representing a quarter of its total fleet.

Equipped with the Roush CleanTech propane autogas fuel system, each Blue Bird Propane Vision bus runs on a Ford 6.8-liter V10 engine with a Ford 6R140 automatic transmission.

Roush CleanTech says the engine delivers 362 horsepower and 457 foot-pounds of torque, providing the performance that drivers need to serve this urban area.

Additionally, the school district can fuel its propane autogas buses at a station located on the grounds of its bus garage, which features a 4,000-gallon propane tank.

Currently, the Bibb County School District pays 95 cents per gallon for propane autogas compared to $1.33 for diesel. In addition to the fuel cost savings, Roush CleanTech says the district expects to receive $111,000 in tax credits for using the alternative fuel.

“I found that the return on investment for propane looked like a much more viable option than compressed natural gas,” says Anthony Jackson, the school district’s transportation director, in a Roush CleanTech case study.

The Bibb County School District has made a commitment to continue its move away from diesel, Roush CleanTech adds. The district recently approved a plan to purchase more propane autogas buses, and it will replace outdated diesel buses with propane autogas, as needed.