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Power To Save: School District Opts for Propane School Buses

EAST STROUDSBURG — A school district in the Poconos is going green when it comes to transportation. New environmentally-friendly rides will soon be rollin...

EAST STROUDSBURG -- A school district in the Poconos is going green when it comes to transportation.

New environmentally-friendly rides will soon be rolling into the East Stroudsburg School District.

The district plans to convert some of its diesel school buses over to propane by the 2017-2018 school year.

The district received $380,000 in state grant money to convert its current diesel fleet into a propane fleet.

"They are easier to maintain, first of all. They are a gas engine with a fuel rail for the propane," said Bob Sutjak, the district's director of transportation. "We are getting away from the diesel big engines and all of the EPA things that go with the diesel engines. Our carbon footprint over the next three years will pretty much be reduced because of the propane."

Propane buses produce less carbon dioxide than the diesel buses currently in use by the district.

Another perk? The propane buses are a lot quieter too, which is good news to some parents whose children ride the bus.

"I think it's good. Well, first it's good to the environment so it should be good overall," said Carrie Ann Wellington.

"It keeps up with ways to preserve the environment," said Anne Hornkohl.

By next school year, 52 buses will be converted to propane. The hope is to have all 122 of the district's buses converted within three years.

The buses are also much easier to maintain which will save the district some big bucks in the long run.

"We are getting basically like 350,000 gallons of diesel over the next three years and it will all be in propane," said Sutjak.

"I am glad that they are doing it, or rather, that they have the means to do it," said East Stroudsburg resident Tom Hornkohl.

In addition to the new fleet, the grant money will also allow for the building of two propane fueling stations at the district's transportation center in East Stroudsburg.

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