Depending upon load and speed they will get 12-14 MPG with an honest 13 MPG average. The Type 'A' buses on the Ford chassis with the V-10/E4OD (or later variant) will get 10-12 MPG with an honest 11 MPG average.
People Also Ask
How Much MPG Does a School Bus Get? Admittedly, the average school bus's fuel economy is what you'd expect of a bus—not great. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, school buses get an average fuel economy of just 6.02 miles per gallon (MPG).
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.
There are different factors to consider about the lifespan of a school bus – whether it's fueled by diesel or propane autogas. The average lifespan of a school bus is 12 to 15 years.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average school bus travels 12,000 miles per year 4. At the average school bus mpg, that means a single school bus would use about 1,993 gallons of fuel annually.
According to data from computer software onboard each vehicle, the hybrid — with its internal combustion engine propulsion system coupled with an electric propulsion system — was achieving only 7.873 miles per gallon.
Diesel school buses are already the most fuel-efficient in the industry, due to a higher BTU count compared to other fuels, providing better fuel economy and a longer operating range compared to similar-sized gasoline, propane or compressed natural gas (CNG) engines.
Transit buses are a LITTLE more fuel-efficient, but not as much as many people might think. A car (24.2 MPG) with the national-average of 1.5 passengers gets 36.3 PPMG (Passenger Miles per Gallon). A transit bus (3.3 MPG) with a national average load (9.1 passengers) gets 30 PPMG.
Battery-charged vehicles typically have a driving range of 70-100 miles, and some can go up to 265 miles before needing to be recharged (diesel buses have an average range of 690 miles).
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.
Get organized—really organized. Bus life means cramped life. There's very little living space inside a bus once you add in everything you need to actually live, like beds, a bathroom, and storage spaces. The last thing you want to do is clutter up that space with more stuff.