For More Information:
Gregg Walker
Propane Education & Research Council
202-452-8975
gregg.walker@propane.com
Candice Henkin, Principal
Wilkes Elementary School
(503) 255-6163
chenkin@rsd7.net
Propane Council Donates $2,500 to Wilkes Elementary School
Donation recognizes Reynolds School District for improving student health and safety with a
propane-powered bus fleet
PORTLAND, Oregon (October 2, 2015) – The Propane Education & Research Council donated
$2,500 to Wilkes Elementary School on October 2, 2015 in recognition of its effort to improve
students’ health and safety by adopting a propane-powered bus fleet. The donation is part of the
commodity checkoff program’s new campaign to educate parents and community members about
the benefits of transitioning away from diesel and other dirty fuels.
“Diesel has long been the standard in school transportation, but for districts that want to reduce
harmful emissions, save money, and create a safer, healthier ride, propane is an excellent
alternative,” said Roy Willis, PERC president and CEO.
Though transportation administrator Kathy Houck had been researching the benefits of a propanepowered bus fleet since the mid-2000s, it wasn’t until 2013 that Wilkes Elementary started
transitioning to the alternative fuel. Of the school’s 117 buses, 29 busses now run 192 routes on
propane. Reynolds School District replaces roughly seven buses per year, and moving forward we
will continue to select the cleanest most economical option possible. The benefits of propane-fueled
buses are simply too great to ignore, Houck said.
“One of the main reasons we went to propane was all the extra equipment that went into the
diesel [buses] to keep the air clean with the initial cost, but then also the ongoing cost,”
Houck said. “I just felt that was not the best use of district’s funds if we could keep more
money in the classroom and less trying to keep buses operational on the road with an
alternative fuel.”
According to PERC, aside from serious cost-saving benefits — Wilkes saves roughly $1.90 per
gallon compared with diesel — propane buses reduce exposure to diesel exhaust, which the World
Health Organization classifies as a carcinogen. Further, they run quieter than diesel, allowing drivers
to better monitor passengers’ activity.
“One problem we have with our diesels is that we do have people who are concerned with their
hearing, because when the engines are up front, they have cooling fans that kick on,” said Houck.
“So if it’s a rear engine bus you don’t hear it as much. We were excited that it would no longer be a
problem with the propane buses.”
Recognizing these same benefits, schools across 45 states — a total of more than 7,000 buses —
have transitioned to propane. Twenty of the top 25 designated market areas and four of the 10
largest school districts in the country are now using them. The trend prompted PERC to launch an
awareness campaign early this fall to teach communities about the benefits of propane-powered
transportation. The Council has partnered with journalist and former teacher Jenna Bush Hager and
the nonprofit Adopt a Classroom to donate more than $30,000 nationwide to teachers at schools
adopting propane buses.
“It’s clear when you talk to school administrators and transportation departments that they are saving
more than just dollars and cents by going with propane buses,” said Hager. “The switch is improving
their school as a whole and giving them the opportunity to invest in more teachers or school
programs.”
For more information on propane school buses, including bus safety tips for parents and kids
courtesy of the National Association of Pupil Transportation, visit BetterOurBuses.com. To donate to
teachers in your local community, visit AdoptAClassroom.org.
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About PERC: The Propane Education & Research Council is a nonprofit established, operated, and
funded by the propane industry. PERC leads safety and training efforts and drives technology
development to expand the adoption of propane as a clean, domestic, and affordable energy source.
PERC programs benefit a variety of markets including transportation, agriculture, landscaping,
residential, and commercial. For more information about propane-powered technologies, equipment
incentives, and PERC, visit PropaneCouncil.org.