Over 3000 CBE students stepped onto new environmentally friendly school buses on Tuesday morning and officials say the green machines will reduce hydrocarbon emissions from the fleet by 80 percent.
Southland Transportation rolled out 30 buses last year and added 60 more this year to serve 65 CBE schools on 152 routes.
“The buses have run very clean. They have been very reliable. The drivers like them so we decided to invest in another 60 this year for the Calgary board,” said Tom Jezersek, Vice-President Southland Transportation.
The alternative fuel buses use propane instead of diesel fuel and Southland shelled out about $6M for the 90 buses.
“We are committed to ensuring that our students have reliable transportation to and from school each day,” said Darlene Unruh, CBE director of planning and transportation. “These state-of-the-art buses are better for the environment and help us to set an example for our students to develop good citizenship behaviours and lifelong environmental habits.”
Officials say the new buses are more reliable in winter because they reach operating temperature standards faster than traditional school buses.
“The new propane buses will help lower Southland Transportation’s hydrocarbon emissions by 80 per cent,” said Chris Castellarin, general manager, Southland Transportation. “We are proud to be able to provide service with these units to the second largest school board in Canada.”
The Calgary Board of Education now has the sixth largest fleet of propane buses in North America
