As a leading provider of safe, reliable, and sustainable transportation solutions, Blue Bird is committed to empowering school districts with the knowledge and tools to transition towards cleaner fleets. We hosted a “Fuel of Choice” panel discussion at the 2025 STN EXPO West Green Bus Summit, bringing transportation professionals to share their invaluable real-life experiences:
Chris Horstman, Transportation Services Specialist, Ithaca City School District, New York
- 22 diesel buses
- 50 gasoline buses (6 gasoline minivans)
- 8 propane buses
- 7 electric buses
Andrew Thompson, Fleet Manager, Boulder Valley School District, Colorado
- 97 diesel buses
- 61 gasoline buses (type A)
- 52 propane buses
- 9 electric buses
Steve Whaley, Blue Bird’s Alternative-Fuel Manager, aptly described these panelists as “superheroes” for their comprehensive experience with diesel, gasoline, electric, and propane buses, offering unbiased perspectives on the pros and cons of all options.
Why Move Beyond Diesel?
The school bus industry is undergoing a significant shift, driven by evolving environmental standards, which will require “another round of after-treatment installed” for diesel buses to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This future regulatory landscape makes exploring alternative fuels not just an option, but a necessity for many districts.
While Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) offerings have been sunset by manufacturers, school districts today have a variety of fuel types available: diesel, gasoline, propane, and electric. Among these, electric vehicles (EVs) and propane buses are highlighted as “zero- and near-zero options,” paving the way for significantly reduced emissions. Blue Bird has deployed over 2,500 EV buses and 22,500 propane buses, operating in 41 states and 1,000 school districts, respectively, demonstrating our strong commitment and capability in these alternative fuels.
Real-World Motivations and Transformative Benefits
Both transportation professionals’ journeys highlight compelling reasons to diversify fuel sources:
- Ithaca City School District’s Strategic Transition. Chris Horstman shared that his district, initially 100% diesel in 2011, began seeking alternatives in 2015 due to “astronomical” diesel costs and the “long-term unknown” of diesel’s future. They concurrently integrated gasoline and propane into their fleet and, post-COVID in 2021, started the lengthy process of exploring electrification.
- Boulder Valley School District’s Bold Environmental Mandate. Andrew Thompson’s district embraced alternative fuels with a clear environmental goal. After initial explorations with CNG and hybrid “didn’t really pan out,” they successfully introduced propane buses with state grants. Boulder also pioneered, acquiring the “first electric school bus in the state of Colorado” in 2018-2019. This transition was driven by a school board initiative to “reduce our CO2 metric tons by 25% in our fleet over the next 5 years.” Andrew proudly reported they exceeded this goal, achieving a 30% reduction with their alternative fuel fleet. Now, their district goal is a “15-year master plan on how to transition our fleet to 50% electric” based on independent studies.
Propane: A Powerful and Practical Solution
Steve Whaley emphasized that propane is often “the least understood of all” alternative fuels. However, its advantages are compelling:
- Established Infrastructure. Unlike other energy sources that require extensive new grids, propane’s infrastructure is already robust and widespread across North America, moved via “pipelines, rail cars, transport trucks, and 30,000 fuel trucks that go into every community in the country.” Blue Bird even drives its propane buses from the factory in Fort Valley, Georgia, directly to dealerships across North America.
- Safety and Simplicity. Propane tanks operate at significantly lower pressures (<200 psi) compared to CNG (<3,600 psi), making handling and infrastructure simpler.
- Energy Resilience. In a forward-thinking application, propane can even power “off-grid chargers” to provide electricity for EV buses when utility infrastructure is delayed.
Real-World Successes with Propane:
- Long-Distance Performance. Kay Cornelius, a transportation professional in Minnesota, effectively uses propane buses to cover the 4,200 square miles of her school district and span 1,200 miles trips, demonstrating that propane fuels “can go the distance pretty well.”
- Enhanced Comfort and Quiet. Diana Mikelski in Illinois highlights the profound benefit of quiet propane buses for students with disabilities that are able to arrive at school “ready to go and settled down.” Propane buses also offer instant cabin heat in cold weather, a significant comfort factor.
- Substantial Cost Savings. Anthony Jackson from Georgia provided compelling financial proof, reporting 50 cents per mile in fuel and maintenance savings operating propane over diesel, amounting to over $1 million annually for his district.
Perceptions vs. Reality
Transitioning to new fuel types naturally sparks initial resistance. However, both panelists shared how perceptions evolve with experience:
- Mechanics’ Strong Preference. Mechanics in both districts overwhelmingly prefer working on gasoline and propane buses. Andrew Thompson noted propane buses are “easy to work on [and] maintain. Troubleshooting is pretty much just like a gasoline.” This is largely because propane and gasoline engines lack the complex and high-maintenance diesel aftertreatment systems, which are often “one of the biggest complaints” for mechanics.
- Drivers’ Evolving Views.
- Ithaca: Drivers initially doubted if gasoline and propane buses would be “powerful enough to go up our hills” or be “safe and durable.” Chris Horstman revealed that “Almost none [of their perception was reality]… They go up the hills better than any diesel bus on the market.” Newer drivers entering the force increasingly prefer propane or electric buses, while long-standing drivers often still prefer diesel.
- Boulder: Drivers “would prefer to drive propane or electric” because “they’re quiet, they’re quick, tons of power.”
Infrastructure
Successful adoption of alternative fuels requires thoughtful infrastructure planning:
- Propane Infrastructure. Andrew Thompson described the setup for propane as “relatively easy,” taking only a few months, with the main hurdle being “getting the fire marshal to sign off.” Boulder started by leasing their propane infrastructure but “now own all that infrastructure,” maintaining a service contract with the provider. Ithaca’s supplier currently owns their propane fueling infrastructure, but they are looking to purchase their own on-site system soon.
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging. Boulder’s EV charging setup includes a mix of chargers from various manufacturers, which can lead to complexity with “four different software on each one of them.” They found Level 2 chargers (19.2 kW) to be preferred due to their ease of use and “compatibility,” as the bus itself controls the charging process, utilizing a mid-day charging strategy. While initial chargers were Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capable, they found the “monetary gains… wasn’t really there,” so they focused on reliable charging for operations.
Your Partner in Fuel Choice
The insights shared by these “superheroes” demonstrate that moving beyond traditional diesel is not only feasible but brings substantial operational efficiencies, cost savings to school officials, and improved satisfaction for your drivers and mechanics.
We are dedicated to helping you with your “fuel of choice” and supporting you every step of the way. Reach out to your local Blue Bird dealer to explore the possibilities of propane and electric school buses for your district and join the growing number of fleets benefiting from sustainable transportation solutions.