Lansdale, Pennsylvania-based North Penn School District (NPSD) recently received a grant to add five more propane school buses to its fleet, bringing the district’s total number of propane buses to 31.

The $142,128 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP's) Driving PA Forward - Onroad Rebate Program is the third awarded to NPSD over the past two-and-a-half years on behalf of this initiative, according to a news release from the district. The Driving PA Forward program is supported through the state’s share of Volkswagen (VW) settlement funds, according to the program's website.

Since late 2018, NPSD has sought grant money to fund several rounds of propane school buses, the first of which arrived in May of 2019, according to the district. As previously reported, in October 2019, NPSD unveiled a total of 14 new Blue Bird Vision Propane and Micro Bird buses, in addition to an onsite fueling station. The buses, which were funded in part by the state’s share of VW funds, went into operation in September 2019.

“In addition to the financial benefits of propane, such as reduced fuel and maintenance costs, it also burns clean,” said Nick Kraynak, NPSD’s transportation coordinator, in the district’s news release. “By reducing the overall greenhouse emissions of our fleet, students, staff, and the entire North Penn community will reap the environmental benefits.”

As part of its efforts to expand its propane fleet, NPSD said it will continue its partnership with the DEP.