Biodiesel extends the life of bus engines

A school district in Virginia has decided to switch their fleet of buses to biodiesel.

Two years ago Gloucester Co. decided to test alternative fuels on 20 of its school buses. Now all of its buses are running on biodiesel that’s made right outside Hampton Roads.

Biodiesel is petrodiesel mixed with soybean oil, and Head of Transportation for the Gloucester County School System Roger Kelly says bus drivers using it have noticed the difference.

“Some of our drivers have even commented that they see that the buses run smoother,” he said.

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Bio-diesel acts like a cleaning agent. For school buses, this means the fuel has the ability to clean mineral deposits from the fuel injectors, fuel tanks and fuel lines. In the long run, that means a bus can stay in service a lot longer before needing a new engine.

The good news is that it is cleaner. But like most biofuels, there is a cost to consider, namely what the source of the fuel is. As long as we're not taking crops out of the food chain, biodiesel is a great alternative. But we have to be careful that we're using sources of fuel that won't lead to food shortages sooner rather than later.