OXNARD : Schools Get First of 5 Methanol Buses
The first of five methanol-powered school buses was received by the Oxnard Union High School District last week.
The yellow buses, each valued at $140,000 and capable of seating 78 passengers, were given to the district by the California Energy Commission as part of an experiment in using methanol, which burns cleaner than gasoline.
The district has 19 buses in its fleet, 15 of which are in daily service. The new vehicles will replace older buses, including two that date back to the 1950s.
The energy department bought the buses with money from fines paid by California oil companies in a class-action lawsuit over price-fixing in the 1970s, said Richard Canady, the district’s assistant business manager.
Although consumer groups have raised concerns about the possible adverse effects of methanol fumes, Canady said the state-of-the-art buses are designed with safety in mind.
“There was a scare at one time,” he said, “but that no longer seems to be an issue.”
Canady expects the other four buses to be delivered in five or six weeks.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
