At a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, Seymour Community School District unveiled a fleet of 20 Blue Bird Vision Propane school buses, contracted through Kobussen Buses, that will run entirely on clean-operating propane autogas.

“We are thrilled to introduce these new propane-powered buses to our district for the first time,” said Kellie Bohn, district administrator of Seymour Community School District. “This type of alternatively fueled bus reflects our commitment to providing safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly transportation for our students while also being mindful of our community’s future.”

The new 2025 Blue Bird Vision Propane 77-passenger school buses have a 7.3L V8 Ford engine with 335 hp and a ROUSH CleanTech propane fuel system. According to a release, the bus retains equivalent horsepower, torque, and warranty coverage as its gas and diesel counterparts.

“Blue Bird is proud to see Seymour Community School District, through its partnership with Kobussen Buses, transition to ultra-low emission propane buses,” said Steve Whaley, alternative fuels manager for Blue Bird Corporation. “These vehicles deliver exceptional performance while significantly reducing emissions, creating a healthier environment for students and the community.”

Kobussen Bus Adds Propane Fleet to Serve Seymour Schools

Purchased from Blue Bird’s authorized dealer, Wisconsin Bus Sales, the buses will be fueled at a recently installed propane station at Kobussen’s Seymour facility. Country Visions Cooperative will be the fuel provider for the first five years. For the 2025-26 school year, Kobussen has a locked-in rate of $1.20 per gallon of propane.

“Today’s event marked our commitment to Seymour Community School District as well as other Wisconsin school districts to provide reliable and safe school bus transportation that also reduces harmful emissions from our air,” said Dan Kobussen, owner of Kobussen Bus.

According to the release, near-zero emission propane vehicles reduce smog-producing emissions, eliminate particulate matter, and lower nitrogen oxides by 95% compared with diesel.

“Propane autogas is a proven solution for school districts looking to lower their carbon footprint without compromising on performance or reliability,” said Todd Mouw, executive vice president of ROUSH CleanTech. “We’re excited to see Seymour Community School District, spearheaded by Kobussen Bus, lead the way in adopting this cleaner, cost-effective technology in Wisconsin.”

Blue Bird, a U.S.-owned and operated school bus manufacturer, has more than 22,000 propane school buses operating in over 1,100 districts across the country.