Lewis County C-1 School District in northeast Missouri has added four propane autogas school buses to its fleet with the purchase of 2022 IC Bus propane buses.
The buses operate on regular routes that span 410 square miles and five counties.
“Anything we can do to provide a cleaner environment and less pollution being breathed in by our students is something I believe strongly in striving to accomplish,” says John French, superintendent of Lewis County C-1 School District. “We believe the savings gained from our alternative fueled propane school buses will eventually lead to more money going into the classroom.”
The district currently operates 18 diesel buses, paying about $2.25 per gallon, compared with propane at $1.55 per gallon. The federal alternative fuel excise tax credit of 36 cents per gallon brings the district’s propane cost to $1.19.
The district currently fuels its propane buses at a local provider site but is considering the addition of on-site propane infrastructure, which includes a tank and a dispenser. Many propane retailers will install a fueling station for low- or zero-cost with a fueling contract.
French says the district received Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust grant funds totaling $20,000 per bus for two of the propane buses and $37,500 per bus for the other two. Additionally, the district received a $2,000 rebate per bus through the Missouri Propane Education & Research Council. The council, created by state statute to provide propane safety and education programs, has pledged $1 million to help school districts transition from diesel buses to propane models.
