Published: 07-22-08
San Antonio Texas - Record-high fuel prices are causing school districts to scrutinize their transportation budgets for ways to cut costs. San Antonio’s Northside Independent School District has found that alternative fuels are one way to keep their budget in check. For the first time since 2002 a major manufacturer has offered a factory-built propane bus.
Northside is the first school district in the nation to purchase and receive the new propane buses. And the district is already reaping the rewards. Today Railroad Commission Chairman Michael L. Williams brought a check for $66341.46 to Northside ISD.
The grant from the Commission’s Propane OEM School Bus Rebate Program covers 80 percent of the propane option on each of the 16 new ultra-low-emissions propane school buses that have been added to the growing fleet.
“I’m proud to bring Northside ISD this rebate for making their yellow school buses greener. Northside embraced propane as a fuel for the district’s buses over twenty years ago and I commend them for their dedication to this clean fuel” said Williams. “This continues the school’s history of ‘Going Green and Saving Green.’
These 16 buses will save money on fuel and reduce children’s exposure to air pollutants by using a cleaner Texas-produced fuel.”
Northside Superintendent John Folks said the District is grateful for the financial assistance from the state because it helps NISD serve as a good steward of natural resources.
We want to be a good role model for the community and for our students Folks said. We are continually evaluating our energy consumption to protect both the environment and taxpayer dollars.
Northside ISD’s bus fleet has over 600 buses more than half of which are powered by propane. The district has been using propane since 1981.
“School leaders around the state are wise to explore alternative fuel options with record-high diesel and gasoline prices putting a crunch on their district budgets” Williams noted. “Many leaders have found that the incentives available at the federal state and local levels make propane and natural gas buses a common-sense option for their school districts.”
Texas is home to over 1500 propane buses which accounts for about 28 of the nation’s total.
The source of today’s Railroad Commission grant to Northside ISD is the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program which is administered by the State Energy Conservation Office. All of Northside’s buses will be eligible for a federal 50-cents per gallon rebate on propane motor fuel which brings in about another $1500 per year per school bus. Northside ISD saved $226000 from this tax credit in 2007.
A federal tax credit of up to $30000 per installation is available for propane refueling infrastructure. And for those districts that decide to replace their older buses the Railroad Commission offers the Propane Vehicle Incentive Program. A typical grant from the Railroad Commission for replacing a 15-year-old diesel bus is around $12000 per bus and can be more or less depending on annual mileage and the age of the bus being replaced.
Williams is a longtime advocate for alternative-fuel school buses.
During his tenure the Commission has honored the following propane fleets for their commitment to air quality: Alvin ISD Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) Dallas County Schools Denton ISD Northside ISD (San Antonio) and Port Arthur Transit. He gave keynote addresses at the 2004 National Clean Cities Conference and the 2008 Alternative Fuels Vehicle Institute conference.
In 2006 Williams joined other clean-air proponents in securing $895000 to develop and certify a factory propane school bus and he proudly hosted the 2007 unveiling of Blue Bird’s Propane “Vision” school bus the first propane school bus offered by a major manufacturer in the U.S. since 2002.
