“From a regular standpoint of maintenance it’s going to be a lot less,” Thiel said.
Propane-powered engines require less oil for oil changes, he said, and tests on the engines have shown they can be operated for more than 15,000 miles before they need maintenance.
The new buses each cost about $90,000 — about $5,000 more expensive than diesel buses — but the district expects to spend less on the new vehicles over their lifespan.
Urbana City Schools purchased them on a lease-to-own contract, Thiel said.
The district needed to update its aging fleet of buses and was in dire need of a bus with a handicap lift, he said. Transportation Coordinator Dan Leiker looked into several vehicle options before he made the decision to go to propane.
Propane-powered buses are also considered more environmentally-friendly and quieter than traditional diesel engines.
Bus drivers have told Leiker the lack of engine noise also transitions into students being quieter on the bus because they do not have to yell to be heard.
The environmental outlook for the buses matches the district’s eco-friendly plans it has undertaken when remodeling or designing new school buildings, Thiel said.
Many big-city school districts across the country, including in New York, Philadelphia and Detroit, are turning to propane buses as a way to reduce fuel costs and pollution. More than 7,000 propane buses are transporting students nationwide, according to the Propane Education & Research Council, an advocacy organization.
The switch away from diesel can also be a health benefit for students who ride the buses.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers diesel exhaust a serious public health problem because it’s makeup includes thousands of small particles that can easily pass through the nose and mouth and become lodged in the lungs.
The exhaust can trigger asthma attacks in children, who are already more sensitive to diesel exhaust because they breath at faster rates, the agency says.
The new buses are a trial for Urbana City Schools, Thiel said. If the district is happy with their service and sees a benefit to their cost savings, it could likely move to replace more of its aging bus fleet with propane vehicles, he added.
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