North Penn Buys 10 Propane Buses, Fueling Station For $600K

LANSDALE, PA — North Penn School District has purchased 10 new propane-fueled buses and a new fueling station, touting the environmental and economic benefits of the move, they recently announced.

The grand-funded project, which costs more than $600,000, will help the district replace some of its diesel powered fleet, provide a quiet and more cost-efficient ride for students, and help keep the air cleaner, the district said.

"By transitioning these 10 vehicles from diesel to propane-powered fuel, the district will displace approximately 28,600 gallons of diesel fuel per year," NPSD Coordinator of Transportation Nicholas Kraynak said in a statement. "In addition to the financial benefits of propane, such as reduced fuel and maintenance costs, it also burns clean. By reducing the overall greenhouse emissions of our fleet, students, staff and the entire North Penn community will reap the environmental benefits."

The bus funds, which totaled $459,400, came fom the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Driving PA Forward - Onroad Rebate Program. Some of those funds were apportioned from the $118 settlement with Volkswagen, after the company cheated on state emissions tests.

The fueling station was financed by $155,302 in funds from Department of Environmental Protection’s Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant.

Officials said that 10 is the maximum amount of buses that can be funded at a given time. The district plans to continue to work with the state to gradually transition its entire bus fleet from diesel to propane.

Image via North Penn School District