If a school bus had an 80-gallon tank and operated with a fuel economy of about 6 miles per gallon, it could travel about 480 miles. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average school bus travels 12,000 miles per year4.
Executive buses average 6 miles per gallon, especially when it comes to larger models that carry 45 to 51 passengers. Newer, high-tech models may get up to 10 to 12 miles per gallon. The larger the bus, the lower the average mileage.
Over the long haul, newer diesel engines will last 15-20 years in a fleet, while a gasoline engine may need to be replaced once or even twice during the life of a school bus. “All of these are important for fleet managers to stop and consider when choosing a new school bus,” says Hedgecock.
Some alternatively fueled engines like propane or gasoline may need to be replaced two to three times during the normal lifecycle of a school bus. Clean-diesel engines, on the other hand, are built to last 15-20 years. The difference in engine life lies in how engines are built.