Section 127(s) of Title 23 of the United States Code, as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019 (PL 116-6), increases the weight limit for natural gas vehicles operating on the interstate Highway System by an extra 2,000 lbs. This increases the limit from 80,000 lbs to 82,000 lbs.

Federal Highway Administration issued a departmental memorandum providing further guidance for this weight allowance.

FHWA Guidance includes the following:

  1. State authorities must allow the additional weight on the Interstate Highway System.
  2. State authorities must provide reasonable access to the Interstate.
  3. Weight allowance applies beyond the Gross Vehicle Weight (extends to single axel, tandem axel and bridge weight formulas limits).
  4. Weight allowance must be taken in addition to other weight allowances.

Follow this link below to access the full PDF provided by NVGAmerica. https://www.ngvamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NGV-Weight-Allowance-Guidance.pdf

District: Grain Valley School District
Industry: Education
Location: Grain Valley, Missouri
Vehicles: (14) 2018 IC Bus CE Series propane autogas-fueled buses
Fueling: On-site propane autogas station

Challenge
With aging diesel buses to replace, a Missouri school district looked to alternative fuel options that would save money on fuel and maintenance.

Result
The Grain Valley School District purchased 14 propane school buses. The new buses joined a 49-bus fleet that transports 2,800 students to school from suburban and exurban neighborhoods.

Focus on Cost-Cutting
Over the years Missouri state reimbursements for school transportation have dropped from 75 percent to 16 to 20 percent. School districts in the state have had to tap their own general school funds to make up the shortfall.

To help save money, the Grain Valley district considered alternative fuels for its new school buses and comparing compressed natural gas (CNG) and propane autogas. District representatives attended an alternative fuels workshop hosted by Kansas City Regional Clean Cities, a Metropolitan Energy Center program. The district considered various fuels but “the vehicle costs and fueling station costs for CNG were much higher versus propane,” said Shawn Brady, director of transportation.

The district decided to purchase 14 propane buses in 2018 to replace diesel buses of 2001 and 2002 model years. Brady researched and applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy through Kansas City Regional Clean Cities to assist with the purchase costs of the buses.

Preparing for Propane Autogas
To fuel the new buses, the district entered into a contract with their local propane provider, Ferrellgas. A fueling station with two 1,000-gallon tanks was built in the school district’s bus parking lot in April 2018. “It saves time not to have to travel to refuel,” Brady noted.

Infrastructure costs for propane are the lowest of any fuel; alternative or conventional. For Grain Valley schools, the start-up cost for the fueling station totaled $16,500. “We received a 45 percent grant from Metropolitan Energy Center for the installation of our propane fueling station,” Brady said. The center’s grant amounted to $7,425. “The fueling station cost us only $9,075 after the grant.”

Before putting the new buses on the district’s routes, drivers received training in propane bus operation. “Our bus vendor provided training on how to properly operate the buses and maximize fuel efficiency,” Brady said. The district’s technicians traveled to the bus manufacturer’s factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a complimentary week-long training course on maintenance. The district didn’t need to make changes to its bus repair facility. Requirements for a propane vehicle service facility are generally the same as those for conventionally fueled vehicles.

Financial Benefits
After tapping grants for purchase assistance, each new bus cost about $250 more than a comparable diesel bus. District officials say that the higher initial cost can be quickly recouped in fuel savings.

In fact, by adding propane buses to its fleet, Grain Valley School District has noted savings on both fuel and maintenance. On average, propane autogas costs up to 50 percent less than diesel. As part of its Grain Valley Schools propane bus and fueling setupnegotiated contract, Grain Valley paid a locked-in rate of $1.20 per gallon of propane in 2018-1019. For the 2019-2020 school year, the district pays $1.15 per gallon. For comparison, the district pays $2.31 per gallon on average for diesel.

Each bus in the district runs about 9,000 miles per year. For the 2018-2019 school year, fuel savings amounted to about $14,500. “The district’s increased savings year after year will allow the transportation department to serve as a better steward of taxpayer money,” said Brady.

Additional savings come from the reduced maintenance. With propane autogas, no exhaust after-treatment or diesel emissions fluids are required like with diesel to meet today’s strict emissions regulations. Propane vehicles don’t need particulate trap systems, turbochargers and intercoolers. Plus, propane uses less engine oil. All these factors contribute to the overall savings of time and money. The district’s technicians like the propane buses, Brady reports. “There are fewer parts and systems to have to maintain.”

However, Brady explained that “warranty work is challenging with no established shop in Kansas City.” He noted that IC does provide a traveling technician who assists his staff when they encounter maintenance issues. Kansas City Regional Clean Cities recommends fleet managers ensure that there is a local service shop to do warranty and continuing work on buses before purchasing.

Even more saving shows up for the district in the winter. Due to the chemical properties of propane autogas, the propane buses warm up faster and have no cold start issues. Unlike diesel vehicles, these buses can start up in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. School districts report lower electric costs because the propane buses don’t rely on block heaters. “Our propane buses warmed up faster this past winter than the diesel buses,” Brady said.

Beyond the Bottom Line 

Grain Valley’s propane buses are helping the community’s air quality. Unlike diesel buses, propane vehicles emit virtually no particulate matter and, with substantially less nitrogen oxides (NOx). Buses fueled by propane also emit fewer greenhouse gases and total hydrocarbon emissions when compared to diesel buses. Propane’s quiet operation makes riding the bus more pleasant for passengers and safer for drivers, who are less distracted by engine noise. “We’ve benefitted from much cleaner air and much quieter buses running through neighborhoods,” said Brady.

Drivers also report that the propane dispenser pumps are just as fast or faster than the diesel fuel pump when it’s time to fill the tank. The district notes that it will be sure to order buses with 100-gallon fuel tanks going forward. “These were not available from IC when we placed our first order,” Brady said.

The district’s leadership in adopting an alternative fuel earned it a 2018 Agent of Change Award from the Metropolitan Energy Center, a Kansas City nonprofit catalyst for energy efficiency, economic development and environmental vitality.

The district’s plan to purchase seven more propane buses this year, and eventually move to an all-propane fleet, speaks to the administration’s belief in the benefits of this alternative fuel for their students, drivers and overall community.

“Our district made the decision on propane buses to save money. The environmental impact is an added benefit. There’s no reason to not make the move into propane now,” Brady said.

 

About MOPERC: The Missouri Propane Education & Research Council is a not-for-profit organization authorized by the Missouri Legislature. Dedicated to propane education and public awareness, MOPERC provides industry training, consumer safety, appliance rebates and market development programs. The council is composed of 15 volunteer directors and adm inistered by an executive staff. Visit PropaneMissouri.com.

Metropolitan Energy Center and Grain Valley School District, in conjuction with the national nonprofit Propane Education & Research Council, hosted the “Autogas Answers for Schools Workshop” Friday at the Courtyard Marriott Kansas City East/Blue Springs. The workshop explained the advantages of running school bus fleets on propane autogas and showed Grain Valley’s propane-powered school bus fleet in action.

“When schools choose to incorporate propane into their bus fleets, the whole community benefits,” said Kelly Gilbert, executive director of Metropolitan Energy Center and coordinator of Kansas City Regional Clean Cities. “This event was a fantastic opportunity for Kansas City school transportation officials to see how propane autogas buses are already working for the local Grain Valley School District. We hope everyone who attended left feeling empowered to make the best decision for their fleet, their students and their community.”

During the event, the Grain Valley School District provided a tour of their scalable propane autogas refueling infrastructure. As of January 2019, nearly 30 percent of Grain Valley’s fleet is powered by propane autogas. The Grain Valley Director of Transportation, Shawn Brady, plans to add seven more propane-powered buses by the end of the year.

Propane professionals expanded upon Grain Valley’s testimonial by explaining how propane-powered school buses can reduce a fleet’s emissions and offer the lowest total cost-of-ownership of any fuel, in part because of lower fuel and maintenance costs. Attendees also learned about clean transportation funding opportunities and networked with clean fuel industry professionals.

Nathan Ediger of Ferrelgas discusses propane infrastructure at Grain Valley SD.

The Autogas Answers for Schools Workshop was put on by Grain Valley School District, Metropolitan Energy Center, Kansas City Regional Clean Cities, Propane Education & Research Council, Missouri Propane Gas Association, the Kansas City Area Association of Pupil Transportation, and Ferrellgas. For more information about Metropolitan Energy Center, visit metroenergy.org.

 

About Metropolitan Energy Center: Metropolitan Energy Center is a non-profit and a catalyst for energy efficiency, economic development and environmental vitality in America’s Heartland. It is host of Kansas City Regional Clean Cities, a designated U.S. Department of Energy program, and Central Kansas Clean Cities. Learn more about us and our programs at metroenergy.org.

About PERC: The Propane Education & Research Council is a nonprofit that provides leading propane safety and training programs and invests in research and development of new propane-powered technologies. PERC is operated and funded by the propane industry. For more information, visit propane.com.

For fiscal year 2019 (July 2018 through June 2019), the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will fund $2.75 million in government truck repower and replacement projects.

Implementation Guidelines

Deadline:  Monday Dec. 31, 2018 at 5 p.m. CST.

Eligibility:  Qualifying applicants include government agencies that own eligible trucks:  “Government” shall mean a State or local government agency.  This category includes a school district, municipality, city, county, special district, transit district, joint powers authority, or port authority, owning fleets purchased with government funds.  It also includes a tribal government or native village. The term “State” means the several States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Key Program Requirements:

  • Eligible engine model years 1992-2009.
  • Eligible vehicles are Class 4-8 with GVWR greater than 14,000 pounds.
  • Older engine or vehicle must be permanently disabled.
  • New diesel, biodiesel, CNG, propane and all-electric engines are all eligible for funding.
  • The program provides up to 75% of the cost of an engine repower.
  • The program provides up to 50% of the cost of a new vehicle.
  • For this round, maximum request from a single applicant is $1 million.
  • Applications submitted through modnr.force.com.

The State of Missouri is requesting applications from schools and school fleet operators to replace old diesel buses. This funding opportunity is open to public and private schools and school districts and for-profit operators of school bus fleets, providing up to $22,000 for each vehicle replaced. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which administers the program, anticipates 70-75 bus replacements statewide through this one-year cycle.

The deadline for districts and school transportation providers to apply is Friday, September 14th.

Applicants may apply for funding for up to 3 buses if replacing diesel with diesel; however, they can apply for funding for up to 10 buses if replacing diesel vehicles with propane, compressed natural gas (CNG), all-electric buses, or other clean-fuel alternatives. Shuttle buses, paratransit or any school vehicles not powered by diesel are not eligible.

This funding cannot be used to expand a fleet, and only buses powered by engine model years 1995 – 2006 are eligible. Replacement buses cannot exceed 125% of the original buses’ GVWR, and a minimum GVWR of 14,000 pounds is required. Applicants must be able to fund the entire program up front, since it is based on reimbursement from Missouri DNR. Federal funds cannot be used to provide the required 75% match for this program, nor can other funding from the VW Trust.

There are other details and restrictions that apply to this program – please read all information carefully before applying! Request For Applications For Early Replacements Of School Buses contains detailed information on program requirements and timelines. For guidelines and a link to updates on opportunities for other vehicle categories, including heavy trucks, cargo moving and electric vehicle charging systems, we recommend Volkswagen Trust – Apply For Funding. For specific questions about program requirements, please contact Mark Leath at the Department of Natural Resources, and as point of contact for application submission.