The Bayfield School District has rolled out a new 71-passenger bus powered by propane instead of the roar of a diesel engine. The quiet hum on a test drive allowed driver Mike Scalet to have a normal conversation with his passengers.
“I’m not yelling!” he said with a grin. In a bus with a diesel engine, Scalet would have to holler pretty loud to talk over the engine noise.
This bus runs on liquid propane that costs $1.30 or so a gallon, instead of the $3.50 or more a gallon for diesel. It also runs at 4 to 6 miles per gallon, which is about average for a school bus.
Other districts in the state have been running propane-powered buses, but Jeff Whitmore, the district transportation director, believes this is the first one in the Four Corners.
At a cost of $101,000, it’s comparable to a new diesel-engine bus. He estimates this model could save about $5,000 a year in fuel costs, and he’s hopeful that maintenance will be cheaper, as well. The new diesel-emissions systems require numerous filters and mechanical works that frequently gum up, while this engine simply has a catalytic converter. It’s a Ford V-10 that is the same engine as a large SUV.
After Tuesday’s test run to Forest Lakes, Scalet said the bus got 6.2 miles per gallon. There’s also no soot coming out of the tailpipe, just some carbon dioxide and water vapor.
Whitmore said he called every transportation director in Colorado who was running propane buses, and they all gave the vehicles a thumbs up.
If this bus works out, the district might look at more for bus routes. With a range of about 400 to 500 miles, it might be awhile before they could be used for a road trip.
