Franklin County Heads Towards Greener Transportation
In early 2011, the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities took its first step toward a cleaner transportation future. With support from Clean Fuels Ohio, the agency purchased its first propane-fueled bus.
Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks praised the move. “I’m very proud that our Developmental Disabilities Board has once again embraced cutting-edge solutions,” she said. “Using propane is a much better option when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
“Propane is about half the cost, or even less than half the cost, of diesel fuel.”
Paul Chenderlin, Director of Transportation, Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities
In addition to cost savings, propane autogas cuts more tailpipe emissions compared to diesel and gasoline. It produces significantly less nitrogen oxides (NOx) and greenhouse gases. As a result, districts benefit from cleaner air and reduced maintenance costs.
“Propane’s about half the cost, or even less than half the cost, of diesel fuel.” Paul Chenderlin, Director of Transportation for the Franklin County Board of D.D., explains. ” Several years ago, the county commissioners were very concerned about economic development and cleaning up the air in the community, and they wanted to know what county fleets could do to make this a cleaner environment.”
Notably, propane autogas has been shown to emit 96% less NOx than clean diesel buses of the same type. In terms of operating costs, propane buses cost about $0.19 per mile, compared to $0.80 for diesel. That means cleaner air for passengers and more savings for the system.
“I would say the great majority – 90% of the people we serve – need support in terms of their transportation.” Jed Morison, Superintendent of the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities, states. “A lot of the people that we serve have health challenges, in some cases, breathing challenges. We pride ourselves in looking to provide as many clean fuel and clean air programs as possible to support the students and the adults that we serve.”
“Well, in my opinion, it feels like it rides smoother on the freeways than the diesel bus, and it’s just quieter.” George Barnette, Franklin County Board of D.D. Driver explains. “I like the performance on it. It has a faster take-off than the diesel buses.”
“From a garage perspective, it’s been awesome. [Propane autogas buses] are a lot easier to maintain [than diesel buses].”
Eric Kenny, Associate Service Manager, Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities
“As a standpoint from a garage perspective, it’s been awesome.” Eric Kenny, Associate Service Manager at the Franklin County Board of D.D., says. “They are a lot easier to maintain. The issues we usually have, cold starts in the morning and everything, the [propane] buses have none.”
He added, “The buses have been dependable. They heat up quickly, run daily, and don’t have issues like frozen fuel. The propane bus just does what we need it to do.”
Finally, adopting propane is more affordable thanks to state support. The Ohio Propane Gas Association (OPGA) offers up to $5,000 in rebates per entity—$1,000 for each vehicle or mower purchased or converted to propane autogas.
