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Birmingham City School Sys t em Benefit s
Birmingham City School System Benefits
fr om T r ansition t o Pr op ane A ut og as School Buses
from Transition to Propane Autogas School Buses

By : J ane y W hi t ne y and L a ur al B unn
By: Janey Whitney and Laural Bunn
n a rapidly advancing and expanding world, the high fuel-cost. For this reason, school bus transporta-
importance of getting from Point A to Point B in the tion is a ripe area to look for improvements that would
most efficient way is crucial. Efficient travel is mea- make them more efficient, environmentally friendly,
Isured by many factors such as cost, speed, safety, and cost effective. In recent years, several technologies
environmental friendliness, and many other factors. To have emerged to compete for the attention of school
make travel safer, more effective, and more environ- districts examining their options for the future.
mentally friendly, we are constantly experimenting and
innovating with our natural resources. Propane-pow- When examining options to im-
ered vehicles have consistently proven to be a leader in prove transportation in the areas
many of these areas. of efficiency, reliability, mileage,
One category where travel is very important is cost effectiveness, and emission
getting our children to and from school safely. Accord- reductions - propane-powered
ing to the World Economic Forum, over 26 million
children ride a school bus each day in the U.S.- making school buses outshine the compe-
student transportation the largest mass transit system tition.
in the country. With 2.9 million average daily airplane
travelers, airplane travel was the second largest. The road to improving transportation for the
In the largest mass transit system, the most most precious cargo, our children, has seen success
common student transportation vehicle in use is the right here in Birmingham, Alabama. Casey Foster, the
diesel-powered school bus. As many environmentally former Director of Transportation at Birmingham City
conscious school districts are learning, these die- Schools, and currently the Fleet Program Director of
sel-powered buses come with a price: pollution and a Alabama Clean Fuels has first-hand experience with

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