VISD Considers Propane Buses

Written by Jennifer Gayle

Thursday, 02 October 2008

EVERY TIME WE SEE A SCHOOL BUS BELCH THAT BLACK SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST, WE KNOW IT'S NOT ONLY BURNING EXPENSIVE DIESEL FUEL, BUT BLOWING POLLUTANTS IN THE AIR.      THE TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION IS ON THE ROAD TOUTING ITS "BREATH EASY" CAMPAIGN, TRYING TO CONVINCE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO THINK CHEAP, AND THINK CLEAN.     "We are very close to reaching beyond the limit of our air quality. So Using  any sort of alternative fuel, especially propane, propane is already available in our area, lots of places around town and out in the county" says Marie Lester, Vctoria City Official.      MOST BUSES RUN ON DIESEL FUEL CONTAINING MANY POLLUTANTS WHICH ARE HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT, PROPANE DOESN'T POLLUTE THE AIR NEARLY AS MUCH, CUTTING EMISSIONS BY EIGHTY THREE TO NINETY NINE PERCENT.      ANOTHER BENEFIT OF PROPANE IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF IT IN NORTH AMERICA IS PRODUCED HERE IN TEXAS.  THIS ALSO ALLOWS THE U.S. TO BECOME MORE INDEPENDENT.    "Every time you fill up one of these buses with texas fuel produced here in Texas, it is one less barrel we have to buy from a foreign dictator who doesn't particularly like us," says Michael William, Texas Railroad Commission.    There are benefits to purchasing a propane school bus but those benefits come at a cost.      WHILE ONE DIESEL FUELED SCHOOL BUS WILL COST A SCHOOL DISTRICT AROUND EIGHTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS.  A PROPANE SCHOOL BUS WILL HAVE A PRICE TAG OF NINETY FIVE THOUSAND.      VISD USUALLY PURCHASES TEN BUSES AT A TIME.  [CG :FULLSC1\Diesel\86,000 x 10 = 860,000\Propane\95,000 x 10 = 950,000\VISD would be spending $90,000 more.]            WHEN DOING THE MATH, VISD WOULD SPEND NINETY THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE ON PROPANE BUSES.       HOWEVER, WHILE DIESEL FUEL IS SELLING AT NEARLY FOUR DOLLARS A GALLON, PROPANE IS SELLING UNDER TWO DOLLARS.  STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS ARE OFFERING INCENTIVES AS WELL INCLUDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS VEHICLE TAX CREDITS AND A FUEL TAX CREDITS.       "There is a federal tax incentive that's the districts are enjoying.  Fifty cents per gallon when they buy propane, says Williams.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 02 October 2008 )