Blue Bird Corporation, provider of electric and low-emission school buses, has delivered its first fleet of propane-powered buses to the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), the largest school district in Pennsylvania. Blue Bird supplied a total of 38 near-zero emission vehicles to help the district accelerate its shift to clean student transportation. SDP serves nearly 200,000 students in 218 schools.
The manufacturer delivered 38 Vision propane-powered school buses to SDP earlier in 2024. These Type C buses can carry a maximum of 42 students for up to 300 miles on a single tank of propane gas. The company’s propane buses generate 96% fewer harmful emissions than their diesel counterparts, thereby protecting students, bus drivers and community health.
In addition, propane-powered school buses lower the total cost of ownership of bus fleets, with school districts benefiting from fuel and maintenance cost savings of up to $3,700 per bus annually compared with diesel buses. Thus, SDP’s propane-powered bus fleet could save the district more than $2.1 million over the 15-year life of its vehicles.
“We are excited to be leading the way here in Philadelphia as we grow our low-emission school bus fleet and create a healthier environment for our students, drivers and the community at large,” says SDP Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. “We are pleased to work with Blue Bird, the leader in low- and zero-emission school buses, and various other top partner organizations to bring our very first propane-powered bus fleet to fruition. Together, we continue to turn our compelling vision of clean student transportation into reality.”
“We are thrilled to supply the School District of Philadelphia, one of the largest in the nation, with our industry-leading, ultra-low-emission propane school buses,” adds Albert Burleigh, vice president of North America bus sales at Blue Bird. “SDP already operates five Blue Bird electric, zero-emission school buses. Utilizing electric and propane-powered school buses, the school district combines the most technologically advanced clean school buses in its fleet, leading the way to creating sustainable student transportation.”
Starting in 2012, Blue Bird teamed up with ROUSH CleanTech to build alternative-fuel-powered vehicles. ROUSH CleanTech integrates a compact, durable and easy-to-maintain 7.3-liter engine into low-emission powertrain options for propane-powered school buses. Since then, Blue Bird has deployed more than 20,000 propane-powered school buses.
Presently, more than 1.3 million students in over 1,100 school districts nationwide ride to school daily in propane-powered buses. SDP purchased its advanced propane-powered vehicles through Blue Bird’s authorized school bus dealer Brightbill Body Works in Lebanon, Pa.
