South Dakota Transit Agencies Unveil the State’s First-Ever Propane Paratransit Buses

Huron, S.D., Spearfish, S.D. (May 30, 2024) — Two South Dakota transit agencies, People’s Transit in Huron and Prairie Hills Transit in Spearfish, unveiled their first orders of safe, environmentally friendly and economical buses fueled with propane autogas.

“Prairie Hills Transit is on the cutting edge of public transit operation with these new propane buses and the first propane fueling infrastructure in the state. We’ve done extensive research and believe that the use of propane is an excellent way to reduce emissions,” said Barbara Cline, executive director of Prairie Hills Transit. Prairie Hills Transit will operate six propane buses, which is 10% of its fleet.

“The new propane buses will have a positive impact on the environment because they reduce harmful emissions, especially when compared to our gasoline and diesel buses,” said Gayle Kludt, executive director of People’s Transit. People’s Transit will operate six propane buses, transitioning 80% of its in-town fleet to propane this calendar year.

Buses for both agencies are equipped with advanced propane engine systems designed and built by ROUSH CleanTech. The ROUSH CleanTech Ford E-450 cutaway chassis is the only propane vehicle that has completed the Federal Transit Administration’s New Model Bus Testing Program (“Altoona Testing”), which allows transit fleet operators to access federal funds.

Both People’s Transit and Prairie Hills Transit have accessed readily available funding streams to help support the purchase of the new buses. “Funding for the buses will be primarily with Section 5339 federal funding,” said Kludt.

The propane buses also will reduce daily operating costs due to reduced fuel and maintenance expenses. On average, propane autogas costs about 40% less than gasoline and 50% less than diesel.

Propane — which is classified as a clean energy source by the Environmental Protection Agency — is an American-made, recycled, reclaimed, recovered and reprocessed fuel. More than 90% of the United States propane supply is produced domestically.

In addition to environmental benefits, the new propane buses offer low maintenance costs, superior drivability on the hills around Spearfish, long-range, reliable cold weather performance with unaided starts up to negative 40°F, and a quick cabin warm-up.

“While this is certainly a big transition, we’ve received incredible support from South Dakota Department of Transportation, ROUSH CleanTech and our bus dealer, Davey Coach. We really are working with the best in the business on this new initiative,” said Cline.

All of the new propane buses are certified to 0.02 grams per brake horsepower-hour and emit 90% less nitrogen oxide emissions than the EPA’s strictest standard. EPA and the California Air Resources Board measure NOx, particulate matter, non-methane hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, formaldehyde and nitrous oxide. Propane vehicles equipped with a ROUSH CleanTech fuel system are lower in all eight measured outputs by an average of 64%.

Although the first in the state of South Dakota, dozens of transit agencies around the U.S. operate propane buses, making it the leading alternative fuel for the industry. There are more than 27 million propane vehicles worldwide.