The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is providing $970,000 in funding assistance to school districts for the purchase of qualifying school buses powered by propane.
This new program, the Missouri Propane School Bus Grant, allows Missouri schools the opportunity to add clean buses to their fleets, reduce emissions and cut operating costs.
Application for this new funding opportunity opened last week and will close in December. Local education agencies (LEAs) and charter schools may apply for reimbursement grants of $24,250 per propane bus, with a maximum of four buses per school.
DESE has prepared a guidance document that provides details for the grant application, which is due by Dec. 15.
Eligible buses must have a propane drivetrain and a model year of 2024 or newer. Applicants that can provide documentation of the retroactive purchase or commitment to purchase eligible buses may be awarded. For a full list of eligibility requirements, interested applicants may contact David Tramel, coordinator, financial and administrative services with DESE, at 573-751-0357 or david.tramel@dese.mo.gov.
Propane buses produce less harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter than diesel buses while also offering a lower total cost of ownership. Propane is 40% to 50% less expensive than diesel or gasoline and provides reduced annual maintenance costs. Propane fueling infrastructure is more stable, flexible and less expensive than electric vehicle installations. Buses powered by propane start reliably in cold temperatures, have an operating range of up to 400 miles and use fuel that is widely available, even in rural areas.
There are more than 22,000 propane school buses across the U.S., including over 700 sold in Missouri. Districts such as Grain Valley School District, Fort Zumwalt School District, Hannibal Public Schools, Neosho School District and Liberty Public Schools have successfully operated propane school buses for many years. Learn more about their experience with propane buses at propanemissouri.com/school-bus.
