From water and home heating to cooking and clothes drying, propane provides essential energy solutions to help you save money and lower your carbon footprint.
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Propane is used daily by hundreds of thousands of Canadians from coast to coast to coast, from heating homes, drying crops, powering forklifts to transporting children to school.
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Recognized for its low environmental impact by Canada’s Alternative Fuels Act, auto propane is a cost-effective, lower-emission and globally trusted automotive energy option.
Technology that precisely regulates fuel delivery through advanced computer control units and direct injection and allows fuel to flow only when the engine is operating.
Auto propane has the lowest flammability range of all alternative motor fuels.
Auto propane engines are 50% quieter than diesel, making school bus rides safer.
Auto propane tanks are 20x more puncture-resistant than gasoline tanks.
Easy and convenient refueling structure options to match fleet sizes, routes, budget and facility space mean time and money savings for fleets. And proven, safe Quick-Connect nozzle technology requires just one hand to operate.
London Police, Ontario: Deeds Not Words
Auto propane vehicles emit significantly fewer harmful emissions including greenhouse gases, smog-producing hydrocarbons and particulate emissions than conventional fuels, creating a healthier environment for drivers and communities.
Up to 26% less lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
State-of-the-art auto propane technology means no compromise in performance, with the ability to match horsepower, torque and towing capacity of gasoline-powered equivalents.
Many auto propane vehicles offer dual-fuel technology (with gas or diesel), for added convenience
Auto propane is easily accessible and transportable across the country; it is a trusted automotive option around the world
Southland Transportation has the largest fleet in Atlantic Canada, with 144 buses transporting students in the Halifax area. Putting these propane buses into service reduces 624.22 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent combined per year compared to diesel-fuelled buses.
School districts of all sizes are switching to cleaner-burning propane buses from diesel buses because it means cleaner air for students, drivers and the community and the lowest total cost of ownership available, resulting in more money for learning.
School buses equipped with auto propane fuel systems reduce tailpipe emissions not only in comparison to the older diesel buses they are replacing but against the latest and most stringent standards.
Today, more than 1.3 million children in North America ride to and from school in buses fuelled by auto propane.
Cleaner neighborhoods: With propane buses, students aren’t exposed to the emissions from older diesel buses that can cause health issues. In real-world testing conducted by West Virginia University in 2018, auto propane produced 96% fewer NOx emissions compared with clean diesel buses. Using propane buses also reduced particulate matter, which can irritate asthma and other breathing-related issues. In the unlikely event of a spill, propane dissipates into the air whereas diesel (and gasoline) can contaminate soil and water resources through spills, leaching, and water runoff.
Quieter operation: Propane buses operate noticeably quieter than diesel for a safe ride. Plus, all propane school buses meet Canadian and U.S. Federal motor vehicle safety standards, like conventional school buses.
Savings that go further: Auto propane delivers the lowest total cost-of-ownership available. Districts could use those savings to afford more teachers, classroom supplies, and extracurricular activities. The affordability and scalability of auto propane refuelling options are unmatched compared with electric. And auto propane does not require additional fluids, filters, or rigorous maintenance and reduces the most emissions of all traditional energy options.
Happier drivers: Operators of propane school buses report higher job satisfaction — they get to drive a quieter bus, and they don’t have to bring home the smell of exhaust. “Our new fleet of school buses fuelled by propane means cleaner air around our students and drivers, and within our community,” said Domenic Scuglia, Director of Education for the Regina Catholic School Division. “At Regina Catholic Schools, we always consider our students’ needs first when we make any decision inside and outside of the classroom.”
With auto propane, you have options for infrastructure setups that are affordable and easily scalable.
Refuelling a propane bus is safe and quick, taking a similar amount of time as fuelling with gasoline or diesel.
Propane buses can provide a range of more than 640 km on a single refuelling.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 19, 2020 – Students in the Halifax area are now enjoying the environmental benefits of low-emission propane school buses.
SOUTHLAND Transportation, a leader in sustainable transportation solutions, began bringing Halifax students to school on 144 propane buses in September. This is the largest propane fleet in Atlantic Canada. Putting these propane buses into service means a total reduction of 624.22 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent combined per year compared to diesel-fuelled buses.
The healthier and affordable option of low-emission propane school buses compared to carbon intense fuels such as diesel is starting to catch on.
“We are seeing an upward trend in schools and government switching to propane buses across the country, the latest in the Halifax Regional Municipality,” says Canadian Propane Association President & CEO Nathalie St-Pierre. “The reason for this growth is clear: propane buses are significantly healthier for our young people and the environment. They are cleaner, quieter and they are made for Canadian winters, starting in -50 below weather. Add to that the economic advantages such as fuel savings and lower maintenance costs, low-emission propane checks all the boxes.”
School buses equipped with auto propane fuel systems reduce tailpipe emissions not only in comparison to the older diesel buses they are replacing but against the latest and most stringent standards. In real-world testing conducted by West Virginia University in 2018, auto propane produced 96 per cent fewer NOx emissions compared with clean diesel buses. Using propane buses also reduced particulate matter, which can irritate asthma and other breathing-related issues.
By fuelling with auto propane, operators avoid the spills that result from diesel fuelling as well as the resulting diesel odour on their clothes and hands. Unlike gasoline or diesel, auto propane is part of a closed-loop system, meaning the fuel is never exposed to air and will not spill. Plus, fuelling is quick and safe, taking a similar amount of time as fuelling with gasoline or diesel.
While SOUTHLAND Transportation is new to Halifax it is not new to propane. They have been utilizing propane as an alternative fuel to diesel since the 1980s and currently own and operate the largest propane-fuelled fleet of school buses in Canada, with over 850 buses currently in operation. In 2019 alone, Southland reduced emissions by 3,229 metric tonnes of CO2E, the equivalent of 686 passenger vehicles being driven in a year.
“What better motivator to engage clean and sustainable transportation practices than the very children who will inherit the future? Each day, our fleet of school buses safely transports close to 100,000 students, which provides us with a constant reminder of what truly matters and what to keep at the forefront of our day-to-day operations,” says Murray Glass, Pacific Western Transportation’s Vice President of Student Transportation. “The nature of bus transportation in itself reduces emissions compared to individual vehicles and utilizing propane as an alternative fuel type further reduces our environmental footprint.”
When their diesel school buses began aging, Brandon School Division transportation supervisor, Ron Harkness, began looking at propane buses. They successfully ran a demonstrator propane bus in wind chill temperatures ranging from -26°C to -44°C. It started every morning, the bus interior was heated evenly inside with no cold spots, and to top it off, it ran much quieter.
Harkness received approval to purchase two propane buses for 2014. A year later, their data showed low maintenance costs; lower fuel costs —23 cents/km for propane versus 33 cents/km for diesel, and the reliability was excellent.
Between 2015 and 2017, the BSD purchased an additional eight buses, realizing a cost savings of close to $95,000 when comparing the fuel and maintenance costs of their propane fleet to their diesel fleet. Their goal is to have all 45 of their buses running on the alternative fuel by2025.
The fuelling centre used by the Brandon fleet, currently consisting of 24 buses, features a 2,000-gallon propane tank, which is currently filled one-to-two times per week on average. It can easily be expanded to accommodate a second 2,000-gallon tank in the future. The fuelling centre utilizes a high capacity pump with a three-horsepower motor to dispense propane and features fuel management system technology which allows the BSD to track each unit’s fuel consumption.
In October 2021, the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division took the opportunity to update its bus fleet, following a large increase in student enrollment numbers.
“We were able to bring in nine newer buses last October, to help transport the 515 students here in Moose Jaw,” explained Chief Financial Officer of the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, Curt Van Parys.
The renewed fleet resulted in a year-over-year reduction of $47,000, or 74%, in repairs and maintenance costs.
“With the new fleet, and with our previous fleet, we were projecting that our repairs and maintenance costs were going to do nothing but exponentially increase over the next several years. With the investment this past year, we experienced almost a 75% reduction in our repairs and maintenance costs. So that indeed is good news,” says Van Parys.
