The North Penn School District (NPSD) has received a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for $199,434.90 to purchase seven propane buses for transportation within North Penn schools.
This grant from the DEP partially funds seven propane-fueled school buses, and requires that seven diesel-fueled buses must be decommissioned as part of a program to lower emissions across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. These seven new propane buses are in addition to North Penn’s current fleet of 38 propane powered buses.
The grant from the DEP’s Class 8 Truck and Transit Bus Grant program aims to improve the Commonwealth’s air quality by reducing NOₓ emissions from older Class 408 freight trucks, port drayage trucks, school buses, shuttle buses, and transit buses by replacing them with new vehicles which utilize present-day fuel-efficiency and emission control technologies.
Propane-fueled school buses emit far fewer NOₓ emissions than diesel buses. Exposure to NOₓ exhaust can have detrimental effects on respiratory health, particularly in children, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, propane engines are significantly quieter than diesel, providing a calmer and quieter environment for students on their ride, and improving the ability of bus drivers to monitor activity inside the bus.
For more information on transportation in the NPSD or the propane bus program, please visit the NPSD Transportation website.