One of five propane-fueled buses purchased by Washington County Schools in 2020. Officials say the buses have $21,000 less in moving parts to replace than diesel models.
Washington County Commissioner Jodie Jones speaks at a ceremony in 2020 to unveil the county school system's five new propane-powered buses as County Mayor Joe Grandy, right, and Chuck Harvill, general manager of Tennessee operations for Central States Bus Sales Inc., look on.
A look at the engine of one of five new propane-fueled buses purchased by Washington County Schools in August 2020. Officials say the new buses each have $21,000 less in moving parts to replace than diesel models.
One of five propane-fueled buses purchased by Washington County Schools in 2020. Officials say the buses have $21,000 less in moving parts to replace than diesel models.
Washington County Commissioner Jodie Jones speaks at a ceremony in 2020 to unveil the county school system's five new propane-powered buses as County Mayor Joe Grandy, right, and Chuck Harvill, general manager of Tennessee operations for Central States Bus Sales Inc., look on.
A look at the engine of one of five new propane-fueled buses purchased by Washington County Schools in August 2020. Officials say the new buses each have $21,000 less in moving parts to replace than diesel models.
Washington County commissioners are being asked to amend an earlier capital funding request to replace four school buses after the county’s Board of Education expressed reservations about adding to its propane-powered fleet.
Originally, the school system was looking to buy four new propane buses, in the amount of $460,000, as part of its annual fleet replacement schedule.
Jerry Boyd, the county’s director of schools, told members of the county’s Health, Education and Welfare Committee on Thursday that the school board decided recently to change that purchase order to three diesel and one propane bus.
The new order has resulted in a projected total cost of $515,496 to purchase the buses. That includes $380,722 for the three diesels and $134,724 for the propane model.
The school system is expecting to receive a $21,000 grant to help cover the purchase cost of the propane bus.
Boyd said the school board members expressed a reluctance to add to the number of propane buses that the county now operates. The school system’s bus fleet is currently made up of 73 diesel models, 17 propane vehicles and one electric.
“There was some concern about putting all our eggs into one basket,” Boyd said, noting that some school board members pointed to concerns with maintenance issues involving three propane buses now in service.
Commissioner Kenneth Huffine said the board’s decision on the propane buses left him scratching his head.
“We’ve all had lemon vehicles, but we didn’t give them up to buy a horse,” Huffine said. “I understand that the comfort level is not there yet. I get it.”
The school system began adding propane buses to its fleet in 2019 with the help of a $102,500 grant from East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, which is aimed at reducing diesel emissions.
The terms of the grant required the school system to permanently disable the retired diesel buses that the five propane vehicles replaced.
A year later, Washington County was awarded another $54,000 from the “Reducing Diesel Emissions for a Healthier Tennessee” rebate program through the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition. Those grant funds were used to help purchase six propane-powered school buses that replaced diesel models that were retired from service.
In addition to its propane buses, Washington County used other grant funds to add Tennessee’s first all-electric school bus to its fleet in 2021.
Jarrod Adams, chief operations officer for county schools, said the the propane buses each save the county between $6,000 and $7,000 annually on fuel costs when compared to diesel vehicles.
In addition to reduced fuel costs, school officials say propane buses also provide substantial savings resulting from an absence of the costly maintenance normally needed for diesel vehicles to meet environmental standards and emission requirements.
Boyd said aside from issues the school system has had with a vendor regarding three vehicles, maintenance costs for the propane buses “have been nominal.”
HEW Chair Jodi Jones told Boyd she has been an enthusiastic supporter of the school system looking for environmentally cleaner and healthier alternatives for student transportation.
“It’s good to see this county is experimenting with alternatives,” she said.
Boyd said he is confident the school system is making “positive steps” in exploring all options for lower emissions.
“We will continue to have a conversation about ways to diversify our fleet,” the director said.
Robert Houk has served as a journalist and photographer at the Press since 1987. He is a recipient of the Associated Press Managing Editors Malcom Law Award for investigative reporting.
