Blue Bird Corp., manufacturer of the propane-autogas-powered Vision school bus and other alt-fuel vehicles, says the student-services fleets that were running propane buses during the recent ‘polar vortex’ reported no problems starting or operating their vehicles.
‘The temperature here dipped as low as minus 12 degrees Fahrenheit, adding complexity to our daily operations,’ said Leslie Sheldon, operations manager for All Star Transportation, which runs 40 Vision auotgas buses for the city of Torrington, Conn. ‘The propane autogas buses made the lives of our technicians and bus drivers easier, as the buses started perfectly and came up to temperature promptly.’
Lamers Bus Lines also operated 14 propane-powered Vision buses during the cold snap, when temperatures dropped to -27 degrees F in eastern Wisconsin.
‘We experienced easy starting, heat within minutes, quiet operation and less headaches,’ said Allen Lamers, owner of Lamers Bus Lines. ‘Our propane Visions are great cold-weather buses.’
Blue Bird says the Vision autogas buses, which are equipped with ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas fuel systems and Ford 6.8-liter engines, perform well in cold weather because ‘propane autogas' natural properties keep the fuel in a constant liquid form, free from freezing or gelling,’ and the ‘liquid form provides better control of the air-to-fuel ratio, resulting in the superior start-up dependability.’
