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Omaha and Millard Schools Order Cleaner Buses

The Omaha and Millard Public Schools ordered more than 400 Blue Bird Propane-Powered Vision school buses, each equipped with ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas fuel systems.

Todd Mouw, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at ROUSH CleanTech, says over the last 25 years, diesel has been the main fuel of choice in school buses. 

He says propane autogas is cleaner, more cost-effective and domestically produced. 

Mouw says the new buses have comparable horsepower to the diesel buses but from an emission standpoint are much cleaner for kids and neighborhoods.

"It’s quieter than diesel.  It’s produced here in North America, so instead of sending money overseas to people who don’t care for us very much, we’re keeping money and jobs here in the United States, which is a great thing.  And the fuel cost has been traditionally 40% less than gasoline and diesel, so there’s a cost savings back to the taxpayer.”

The new Blue Bird Propane-Powered Vision school buses are being ordered through a collaboration between the Metropolitan Omaha education Consortium and Student Transportation, Inc.

It’s estimated the new buses will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2.3 million pounds and save a projected $300,000 in the first year alone.