Northside ISD has become the first school district in the country to purchase a new line of buses fueled exclusively by propane, an alternative fuel that is cheaper and cleaner than gasoline.
The District recently purchased 16 Blue Bird "Vision" school buses, the first propane school bus offered by a U.S. manufacturer since 2002.
"We want to be environmentally friendly and also save taxpayers money and this helps us accomplish that," Superintendent John Folks said.
The District's commitment to protecting both the environment and taxpayer dollars was recognized by Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Michael Williams on Tuesday, who presented NISD with a check for $66,341 to help offset the cost of the new buses. The money comes from a federal grant established to encourage school districts to buy alternative fuel buses.
"This continues the school district's history of ‘going green and saving green,'" Williams said. "These 16 buses will save money on fuel and reduce children's exposure to air pollutants by using a cleaner, Texas-produced fuel."
In June, a gallon of diesel cost $3.85 a gallon and unleaded gasoline cost $3.37, compared to $1.73 for a gallon of propane. Propane produces fewer emissions and pollutants - making them healthier for children and the community - and using propane also reduces wear and tear on the engine.
A propane bus is more expensive to purchase than a diesel fueled bus, but that cost is quickly recouped because propane is so much cheaper and the engine requires less maintenance.
Northside has been using propane-fueled buses since 1981. Back then, the District purchased gasoline fueled buses and modified the engine to use propane. In fact, five years ago, 95 percent of the District's bus fleet was powered by propane. But in 2002, because of market conditions, bus manufactures stopped making the engines that could be converted to propane.
NISD Board President Katie Reed said every time she and the Superintendent went to state or national conventions, they made sure to visit with the bus manufacturers to urge them to make a propane bus.
"I think they finally got the message," said Reed, a longtime proponent of propane fuel. "I'm just delighted we can buy buses that we don't even have to convert any more."
Today, about half of the District's 700-plus buses are fueled by propane, still one of the largest bus propane fleets in the state. That percentage will continue to rise now that propane buses again are available, Folks said. The timing couldn't be more perfect, considering the
rising cost of fuel, he said.
Purchasing propane buses is just one part of the District's award-winning
Energy Management program. Numerous initiatives save the District $1 million a year, including low-flow toilets, energy-efficient lighting, and a centralized computer system that controls all heating, air conditioning, and outdoor lighting.
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