School buses that are mostly fueled by propane will soon begin shuttling students to and from school in Tuscaloosa.
The Tuscaloosa News reports the city's board of education approved of buying a fleet of new school buses from a Birmingham company at a cost of roughly $5.92 million. The fleet will include 63 propane-fueled buses and 10 diesel fueled ones.
Tuscaloosa City Schools Director of Transportation Jimmy Boone says the district's diesel buses needed to be replaced because many are more than 15 years old. Boone says the propane-fueled buses are quieter and don't generate as much heat.
The district's Chief Financial Officer Ed Lavigne says the propane buses are more expensive than diesel, but the district expects to save money on fuel costs.