Mercer Island School District (MISD) Board and City Council members discussed the feasibility of using alternative fuels in school buses at a joint meeting on Oct. 16.

Todd Kelsay, MISD director of transportation, and Glenn Boettcher, city maintenance director, led a presentation on the merits of gas alternatives, which include biodiesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), diesel/electric hybrid and propane autogas.

“Ten years ago there were virtually no alternative fuel vehicles out there in the United States, or very few, and now there are about 3 million,” Kelsay said. “If that’s the trend, then we should be looking at it for our vehicles within the school district, and within the city as well.”

In the next few years, it’s likely that either propane autogas or CNG will emerge as the standard alternative fuel for school buses, according to the meeting agenda.

Propane autogas powers about 300,000 vehicles in the U.S., 4,000 of which are school buses. There are about 2,750 fueling stations, and 10 in the Puget Sound area. Propane generates 24 percent less greenhouse gases, 20 percent less nitrogen oxide and 60 percent less carbon dioxide than gas.

MISD currently owns 25 Type D (larger) buses and 15 Type A (smaller) buses. In Washington State, there are propane buses available for purchase on the 14/15 State Bus Contract – but currently Type A only.

Propane autogas seems to be the best option for Mercer Island, and the district may purchase a Type A bus for the 2016 school year. If that turns out to be successful, the district may replace buses on their depreciating cycles starting in 2018, Kelsay said.

The school bus industry has been slow to adopt fuel alternatives due to budget constraints and lack of available options from manufacturers, according to the agenda.

At current fuel prices, each Mercer Island propane bus could save up to $20,000 in fuel over its life.

Kelsay noted that the pilot programs in place in the Bellevue and Oak Harbor School Districts made him and Boettcher “cautiously optimistic.”

“It’s time to start taking a look at the new technology because it’s been out there long enough, and it’s important to be in the feedback loop… but we want to do it cautiously,” Boettcher said.

If CNG becomes the alternative, MISD would need to partner with another close proximity agency such as the City of Mercer Island to share the major expenses associated with the fueling station and facilities.