Do Not Miss Out on Money for School Buses in Your Community

Do you want cleaner air for your children and grandchildren and savings for your community?

Talk to your school districts about switching over to propane.

West Virginia University, the folks who also uncovered the VW emissions scandal, report that some propane school buses may reduce NOx by 96%.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) are a family of poisonous, highly reactive gases. These gases form when fuel is burned at high temperatures. The American Lung Association reports that research from the U.S. EPA warns that NOx is likely to be a cause of asthma in children, contributes to increased asthma attacks, as well as reduced lung function.

On top of that, the State of Texas just opened its statewide Texas Clean School Bus Program (TCSB), a first come, first serve grant that helps school districts to replace older diesel school buses with new cleaner school buses including school buses powered by propane autogas.

This statewide program exclusive to Texas districts only opens once every two years. Interested school districts that need buses should jump on this opportunity now.

Funding: Limit is 5 school buses per application. TCEQ will pay for up to 80% of eligible cost of replacement, which includes invoice for new propane school buses, taxes, duty, protective in transit insurance and freight. Funding amounts are set out in the grant table for each age and size category of bus.

Last grant round in 2020, grants for propane school buses ranged from $55,000-$80,000 per bus.

How it works?

• Schools apply to replace pre-2007 (so 2006 or older) diesel bus with new cleaner bus e.g., new propane school bus. • School transportation applicant submits a complete application, which is then reviewed by TCEQ. If approved, it will get assigned contract from TCEQ that the money is reserved. • School transportation applicant destroys old engine within 90 days of receiving. The grant contract (hole in engine block) or removes from North America. • School transportation applicant makes purchase and submits documentation. If approved, applicant gets reimbursed from TCEQ.

Deadline. Funding is available, first come, first serve and is likely to run out well before the fall grant deadline. Interested school districts should APPLY NOW! Last grant round pre-pandemic, funding was reserved within 6 weeks.

Grant Writing Assistance. The Propane Council of Texas offers complimentary grant consultation and grant writing for applicants in Texas looking to switch to propane school buses.

Help or Questions? Contact us at (800) 325-7427 or email info@propanecounciloftexas.org how much your school might be eligible to receive through the Texas Clean School Bus Program.

More information on the Texas Clean School Bus Program can be found at https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/ terp/school-buses.html.

Share resources with your schools. Go to https://www.propanecounciloftexas. org/cleanpropaneschoolbuses, download, and share resources from this page with your school decisionmakers and officials.