RENO, Nev. – At the 2026 STN EXPO West Conference, Stephen Whaley, alternative fuels manager at Blue Bird, and Todd Mouw, executive VP of sales, marketing and customer success at ROUSH CleanTech, led a Green Bus Summit discussion offering a deep dive into the urgent challenges and innovative solutions facing student transportation.
Against the backdrop of a 57 percent surge in fuel costs and tightening California Air Resources Board (CARB) emissions standards in 2027 and 2035, Whaley highlighted the transformative potential of propane buses powered by the Roush/Ford 7.3L engine. These buses are future-proof for emissions compliance, requiring no particulate filter or diesel exhaust fluid, and feature a three-way catalytic converter.
Whaley explored propane’s advantages in detail: its domestic production reaches 30 billion gallons annually, supported by a robust infrastructure of bulk plants and 30,000 delivery trucks, ensuring resilience and price stability – $1.54 per gallon versus diesel’s $4.88. The U.S. Department of Energy’s fueling station locator app aids fleet logistics and propane’s performance and range make it suitable for both small and large districts. With 1,200 school districts across 49 states nationwide using propane – Mississippi being the only holdout – and eight of the last nine School Transportation News Transportation Director of the Year awardees operating propane buses, its adoption is widespread and growing…