Henry County Schools' Blue Bird Vision propane buses are expected to emit 500 fewer pounds of particulate matter per year and about 19,000 fewer pounds of nitrogen oxide than the diesel buses they replaced.
Henry County (Ga.) Schools' 23 Blue Bird Vision propane school buses are expected to emit 500 fewer pounds of particulate matter per year than the diesel buses they replaced. File photo
2 min to read
Henry County (Ga.) Schools' 23 Blue Bird Vision propane school buses are expected to emit 500 fewer pounds of particulate matter per year than the diesel buses they replaced. File photo
HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — A school district here recently added a total of 23 Blue Bird Vision propane school buses to its fleet.
Henry County Schools rolled out its new propane buses — purchased with $104,000 in grant funding — at the start of the 2019-20 school year, according to a news release from Roush CleanTech, the propane system supplier for Blue Bird. The district made the switch from diesel to propane this year after receiving several positive reports from other Georgia districts that added propane buses to their fleets. Henry County later solidified its decision when Roush CleanTech hosted a group of the district’s staff members at its facility in Livonia, Mich., according to the propane system supplier.
“After seeing their technology and how it works, the maintenance on the buses, and what goes into the fuel itself, it was obvious to us that propane was a great fuel choice,” said Cliff Shearhouse, the transportation director for Henry County Schools.
Located in the heavy traffic area of the Atlanta suburbs, the district currently transports 24,000 students on about 300 routes daily.
Henry County’s new propane buses are expected to emit 500 fewer pounds of particulate matter per year and about 19,000 fewer pounds of nitrogen oxide (NOx) annually compared to the 23 diesel buses they replaced (which were 1995 to 2006 model years), according to Roush CleanTech.
With a limited number of public fueling stations in the area, Henry County Schools enlisted the help of Superior Energy Systems to create an onsite propane fueling station, which included two propane dispensers and an 18,000-gallon tank.
Additionally, Shearhouse reported that after signing a fuel contract with Blossman Gas, the district pays on average about $1.60 per gallon for propane compared to $2.80 per gallon for diesel fuel. He also noted the positive feedback from bus drivers about how quiet the buses are and the financial and time-saving advantages of propane for quick bus starts during the colder, winter months.
Ad Loading...
Shearhouse advised other school districts looking to add propane buses to their fleets to ensure their request for proposals for infrastructure and fuel are accurate, and that they can cater to their district’s future operational plans.
Currently, about 7.5% of Henry County Schools' fleet is propane, but the district anticipates operating an all-propane fleet within the next 10 years, according to Roush CleanTech.
In related news, Blue Bird recently celebrated the delivery of its 15,000th propane-powered school bus after school districts in Virginia and Pennsylvania added more than a dozen propane-fueled buses to their fleets.
Check out some of the latest moves where alternative fuels and school buses intersect, including electric and propane bus deployments, new EV products, and an update from CARB.
Keeping buses safe, reliable, and on schedule requires more than manual processes. This eBook explores how modern fleet software supports school transportation teams with automated maintenance scheduling, smarter video safety tools, and integrated data systems. Discover practical ways fleets are reducing breakdowns, improving safety, and saving valuable staff time.
Check out some of the latest moves where alternative fuels and school buses intersect, including manufacturing expansions, major funding awards, and energy storage strategies.
Electric school bus success hinges on long-term planning, which means smart financing, battery management, and service-based models that keep fleets reliable for years.
Check out some of the latest moves where alternative fuels and school buses intersect, including new product announcements and bus deployments across the U.S.
South Coast AQMD plans to replace 286 older buses with newer models, plus accompanying infrastructure, across 35 districts in the South Coast Air Basin.
One program ends, another looks to be reimagined, and the Clean School Bus Program is in a holding pattern — here’s where each EPA program stands and what to expect moving forward.
The Illinois district’s new electric bus fleet, supported by EPA grants, ComEd incentives, and Highland Electric Fleets, advances its commitment to sustainable school operations.
