Hatboro-Horsham Considers Converting its Fleet

officials are beginning a review to determine if, over the next five to 10 years, some or all of the district’s four dozen buses should be converted to natural gas.

Superintendent Curtis Griffin stressed that while officials would consider the purported cost savings and environmental benefits of the clean-burning fuel, the district would “not run out tomorrow and begin the conversion.”

“This is not something that the Hatboro-Horsham School District could move into alone. We would definitely need partners along the way,” Griffin said. “We’re not going to be an early adopter. I think that school districts, as things unfold, will be the next generation of adopters.”

In an attempt to educate potential future drivers of natural gas conversion, State Rep. Todd Stephens (R-151) of Horsham, recently hosted a two-hour seminar for school and municipal officials throughout his district, which includes Horsham, Upper Dublin and Ambler.

“By converting fleets to natural gas, our school districts and municipalities can save money and help the environment,” Stephens said in a press release. “Since Pennsylvania is now one of the nation’s leading producers of clean-burning natural gas, we can also help create jobs right here rather than relying on foreign oil.”

The state’s Act 13 of 2012 – portions of which have faced legal challenges – requires that natural gas drillers provide $20 million to assist schools, townships and boroughs with converting their fleets. The program covers up to 50 percent of the incremental cost to convert a vehicle up to $25,000.

“Any program, in generic terms, that would enable us to more efficiently and cost effectively transport kids” Hatboro-Horsham would have interest in, according to Bob Reichert, the district’s director of business affairs.

“The whole key to this is going to be how it develops,” Reichert said.

In 1995, the Lower Merion School District converted its 58 buses to natural gas to address environmental and noise pollution issues. Today, the school district pays 75 cents per gallon for fuel, according to the release.

Hatboro-Horsham officials said lower fuel costs would be a definite advantage. Currently, the district pays about $1 per gallon less for fuel than what’s charged at gas station, officials said.

But, fuel savings alone are not the only consideration that Hatboro-Horsham would investigate over the coming months and years.

For starters, the initial investment in converting vehicles could be cost-prohibitive, officials said. Then there’s the issue of fueling stations and having access to them.

And, in the long run, are the bus maintenance costs the same or less than what is already being spent keeping up the district’s 47 buses during the roughly 12-year life?

“It just has to be developed more in order for us to make an educated decision on whether this is going to work for us in the long term,” Reichert said, adding that grants could serve as a “shot in the arm” to help cover initial costs, but would eventually dry up.

Griffin said if it is determined that natural gas is the way for Hatboro-Horsham to go, the district would consider running a pilot program.

“We’re not going to jump into anything with two feet,” Griffin said.