Grant money provides more propane school buses in Texas

The Texas State Energy Conservation Office has awarded a $3.1 million grant to the Railroad Commission of Texas to add 258 propane school buses and 24 support vehicles to 19 public fleets.

Additionally, the grant will fund upgrades to 19 refueling sites for the fleets, to accommodate the advances in propane vehicle technology.

Putting the additional propane buses into service will reduce petroleum consumption by 9.1 million gallons over the life of the vehicles, the Railroad Commission says, and the clean-burning fuel consumed by the new vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,641 tons annually.

The commission says that more than 1,750 propane-powered school buses are operating in Texas.