Sigourney Schools introduces new propane bus

          Sigourney School District recently purchased a propane-fueled bus, the next generation of school transportation that leaves less of an environmental footprint and saves the district money on refueling and maintenance.

            The district purchased the bus, which on the outside looks likes any other typical school bus, for $89,500 through their PPEL fund. An average diesel-power school bus costs $7,000 less when bought new. While the cost may raise a few eyebrows, the bus does pay for itself over time according to Randy Schmidt, District Transportation Director. At the present time, diesel is averaging at about $2.45 per gallon. Propane, on the other hand, is average $1.02 a gallon. On top of the ridiculously low price, the U.S. government has a rebate program in place that offers a .36 cent rebate for each gallon, bringing the price down to .66 cents a gallon.

            Benefits of a propane bus don’t stop there either. Propane emissions burn cleaner than diesel and there is no exhaust involved. The average school bus requires 22-26 quarts of oil, a large filter, and two fuel filters. With the propane buss, it only needs seven quarts of oil, a smaller filter and no fuel filters to run, the tank is secured between stainless steel frames with no rubber around it, and the 93 gallon tank has a mechanism that prevents it from being overfilled, with it only holding 75 gallons. Plus, the bus does not need to be plugged in during the winter to keep the engine warm.

            “A lot of people when they hear propane, they think explosions,” Schmidt said. “Actually, propane is less volatile than gasoline and safer. Keota and English Valleys both these buses and love them because they are quieter and require less maintenance.”

            Sigourney-Keota Football were the first to take a ride on the bus up to Iowa City, along with the JV team also using it for their game in Iowa City. For now, the bus will be used for high school field trips and as an activities bus. The districts plans to eventually work the bus into a route in the future, possibly next calendar year, but wish to use it as an activity bus to break it in. More buses are planned to update the district’s fleet of buses in the near future.

            “It runs just as nice as any of our buses currently in the fleet,” Schmidt said. “The price tag might seem steep, but the cost savings alone will make up for it. With the rebate offered, we feel confident that these buses will help us get in the alternative fuel direction.”

            Schmidt also adds that he does not believe propane prices will change much because of the inclusion of the buses, feeling that the supply will mainly dictate how the price is changed.

            Agriland FS provided the propane, storage tank and installation. The local company furnished the tank at Sigourney District’s bus barn on North Main, allowing workers at the facility to refill the town in town and not have to travel the bus.

            “[Agriland FS] have been great to us. They see the future too and wanted to help,” Schmidt said. “This allows us to keep our propane purchases local and that’s great for the economy.”