Prince William County Public Schools Unveils 62 New Propane Buses

Manassas, Va. (March 18, 2026) — Prince William County Public Schools (PWCPS) unveiled its emissions-reducing new propane school buses at its Brentsville facility. The 62 Blue Bird Vision Propane buses are also the first from the company to come equipped with standard driver airbags.

The propane buses were purchased from Blue Bird Bus Sales of Virginia. In collaboration with its corporate headquarters in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, the dealer provided a fully equipped, 78-passenger propane school bus demonstrator to the school district. Following a successful six-week demonstration, PWCPS placed an order of 62, bringing propane buses to its fleet for the first time.

“Prince William County Public Schools’ investment in propane buses marks a significant step toward cleaner, safer student transportation. We’re thrilled to deliver our first propane buses equipped with standard driver airbags, combining industry-leading safety with ultra-low emissions,” said Steve Whaley, propane product segment leader for Blue Bird Corporation. “These buses not only enhance the health of students and the community but also provide exceptional performance and cost savings for the district.”

Each of the Blue Bird Vision Propane 72-passenger school buses comes equipped with an IMMI 4Front driver airbag, a 7.3L V8 Ford engine and ROUSH CleanTech propane fuel system. Ford’s 335-horsepower 7.3L engine is compact, powerful and easy to maintain. The school district’s propane buses retain equivalent horsepower, torque and warranty coverage as its gas and diesel counterparts.

Near-zero emission propane vehicles reduce smog-producing emissions, eliminate particulate matter and lower nitrogen oxides by 95% compared with diesel-powered school buses. School districts have reported annual savings of up to $3,700 per propane-powered bus due to lower fuel and maintenance costs compared to a diesel-powered bus.

“Propane school buses are a game changer for communities like Prince William County. By reducing harmful emissions and improving air quality, these buses create a healthier environment for students, drivers and residents,” said Todd Mouw, executive vice president for ROUSH CleanTech.

Blue Bird is the only U.S.-owned and -operated school bus manufacturer in the United States, and has more than 23,500 propane school buses operating in over 1,100 districts across North America.