101 LPG school buses head for Canada

© Blue BirdBlue Bird's LPG autogas buses - Micro Bird and Propane Vision

Southland Transport's affair with autogas started back in 2007, when the company bought a fleet of 32 Blue Bird Propane Vision buses, which have since been used in Calgary. The new vehicles, all of which are powered by 6,8-litre Ford engines converted with LPG systems developed and provided by Roush CleanTech, are going to be used for transporting students in the Alberta province (59 in Calgary and 42 in Medicine Hat).

The motivation behind the purchase is threefold. First of all, autogas-powered buses are cheaper to run. Then comes the maintenance aspect – engines converted to LPG run smoothly regardless of the time of year, including winter. Last but not least, school authorities put emphasis on reducing their fleet's impact on the environment and autogas is known to considerably cut emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.

The Calgary Board of Education is committed to teaching our students to develop good citizenship behaviors and lifelong environmental habits. The use of these propane buses supports our commitment to the environment by providing a quieter ride with fewer emissions that is also reliable during the winter.

Ron McArthur, manager of transportation for Calgary Board of Education

Districts and contractors in Alberta are achieving substantial savings and superb operation with Blue Bird’s Propane Vision and Propane Micro Bird. We have an abundance of transportation providers looking to make the switch to propane autogas. It’s better for the students, the taxpayers and the environment. It’s a win-win solution.

Jason Kirkman, general manager of Kirkman Bus Sales