Jenna Bush Hager and Propane Council Team Up For Back-to-School Campaign

WASHINGTON (September 14, 2017) – This school year nearly 790,000 students will be riding school buses powered by propane rather than gasoline or diesel fuel. It’s a trend that continues to sweep the nation.

“Propane school buses present so many advantages for students, school districts and their communities,” said Tucker Perkins, Propane Education & Research Council president and CEO. “These buses are quieter and offer reduced emissions compared to old diesel buses, making them a better option for students, drivers and the community. They cost less to operate, too, so schools can put more money back into the classroom where it can impact students most.”

The trend of propane school buses is growing fast. This fall, 750 school districts in 47 states are operating more than 13,000 propane school buses. In fact, propane bus sales have increased by about 10 percent each of the last two years. PERC’s interactive map at www.propane.com/busmap details where the propane buses are in operation.

This trend prompted PERC to start a campaign to teach communities about the benefits of propane school buses. Now in its third year, the campaign has given schools across the United States a total of $75,000 in recognition of their commitment to their students and community by using propane school buses. Donations are made in partnership with the nonprofit, AdoptAClassroom.org, which allows funds to be directed to teachers at each district to use in the classroom. Journalist and former teacher, Jenna Bush Hager, is also returning as a partner in the campaign to raise awareness about the safety benefits of propane buses. The journalist is a mother of two and a former teacher, so she’s well qualified to speak about the importance of safe student transportation.

“As a former teacher and parent, I know that the school day begins and ends on the bus for many children,” Hager said. “When we give our kids a safe, quiet and healthy start to the day, it can improve their entire experience in the classroom and at home, too.”

Among the health and safety advantages of propane buses is that they are quieter than diesel and they reduce exposure to diesel exhaust, which the World Health Organization classifies as a carcinogen.

Parents can hear the noise difference for themselves by taking a free audio quiz at www.quieterschoolbuses.com.

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.

The Propane Education & Research Council is a nonprofit organization established, operated, and funded by the propane industry. PERC drives technology development to expand adoption of propane as a clean, domestic, and affordable energy source and leads safety and training efforts among propane retailers and consumers. PERC programs benefit a variety of industries including fleet vehicle management, landscaping, residential and commercial building, agriculture, and material handling. For more information, visit Propane.com.

Jenna Hager is a contributing correspondent on NBC’s Today show and an editor-at-large for Southern Living magazine. She is also the author of The New York Times best seller Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope, which she wrote after traveling to Latin America in 2006 as an intern with UNICEF. Ana’s Story is based on the life of a 17-year-old single mother with HIV, who struggles to shield her child from the life she had of abuse and neglect. Hager remains involved with UNICEF and is the Founding Chair of UNICEF Next Generation, an initiative dedicated to motivating younger generations to help save and improve children’s lives around the world.

Hager holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Texas at Austin. She is the co-author of two children’s books: Read All About It! and Our Great Big Backyard. Most recently, she is the co-author with her sister Barbara Bush on their new book, Sisters First (released October 24th).

Hager is the daughter of former U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. In 2008, she married Henry Hager with whom she now has two daughters, Margaret Laura “Mila” (4) and Poppy Louise (2).

AdoptAClassroom.org gives teachers a hand by providing much needed classroom supplies and materials to help their students learn and succeed. As an award-winning 501(c)(3), AAC makes it easy for donors to provide funding and support to K-12 classrooms in public, private and charter schools throughout the U.S. On average, teachers spend $600 of their own money each year to equip their classrooms – 20% of teachers spend more than $1000 annually. Since 1998, AdoptAClassroom.org has raised over $22 million and benefited more than 5 million students throughout the U.S. AAC holds a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. For more information, or to adopt a classroom, please visit www.adoptaclassroom.org