Collins Bus Delivers First NEXBUS® CNG Type A School Bus to Pennsylvania School District

New natural gas-powered buses feature the Westport WiNG Power System.

Collins Bus Corporation has delivered the first four production units of its new NEXBUS® compressed natural gas (CNG) Type A school bus to the Lower Merion School District in Montgomery County, Pa. With more than half of its 117 vehicle fleet fueled by CNG, the Lower Merion School District boasts one of the largest fleets of alternative fuel school buses on the East coast.

“We are excited to see the delivery of the first Ford Factory OEM approved CNG Type A school bus,” said John Walsh, vice president of sales for ASV Bus, the parent company to Collins Bus. “The Collins NEXBUS CNG model demonstrates ASV’s commitment to meeting customer demands for environmentally friendly vehicles powered by clean alternative fuel systems that reduce carbon emissions.”

LNG to Meet More U.S. Fleet Needs with Tax Fix

Why are some U.S. fleets eager for winter? This summer’s big news for liquefied natural gas (LNG) means fleets running on the fuel will benefit beginning this winter. A new law in the United States was enacted to bring LNG excise taxes measured in line with diesel on an energy basis – using diesel gallon equivalents (DGE). The new law will effect January 1, 2016.

Instead of being charged tax by volume as has been in the past, LNG will be taxed on its energy equivalent relative to diesel. Based on the high-fuel-use applications that LNG most benefits, which compete mainly with diesel fuel, this creates more easily equalized comparisons for fleet operators, as well as the tax benefits.

Back-to-School Is Easy with Collins Type A School Bus Featuring Westport WiNG

Largest Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier Delivers Solutions with Collins Bus Corporation

The Back-to-School season is here and school districts are busy planning for the next academic year. For some school systems new transportation budgets may be identified, while others may need to replace old school buses unexpectedly.

In either case, school districts and municipalities are increasingly looking for school buses with alternative fuel options, such as compressed natural gas, to support their sustainability efforts while decreasing fuel costs.