A referendum held Tuesday by the Chenango Forks Central School District in Binghamton, N.Y., has cleared a path for the school fleet to acquire four new buses powered by propane autogas.
The district, which already has a pair of propane buses in service, is making the purchases as a part of its regular fleet replacement program. The three 65-passenger buses and one 48-passenger bus will cost $460,000. Once the propane buses are acquired, four diesel-powered buses will be retired from service.
The district says it has applied for funding assistance through the National Clean Diesel Campaign Rebate Program, which was enacted last fall as a part of Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) reauthorization. If the district is selected to receive funds, the new buses will need to be ordered within 90 days of the award notification. Each bus is eligible for $25,000 in grant funding.
