In fall 2016, NKC Schools became the largest school district in the country to transition its school bus fleet to compressed natural gas vehicles. The district entered into a lease-purchase agreement in 2015 to acquire 150 new compressed natural gas buses to replace aging diesel-powered buses. The district has also built a new fueling station to supply CNG to these new vehicles at the transportation hub on Northeast 46th Street.

The energy-efficient buses will provide significant savings over the next decade. The increased fuel economy – 5.6 miles per gallon (diesel) to 8.0 miles per gallon (CNG) – in addition to costs that would have been associated with maintenance of aging, overused buses, will save the district millions of dollars. 

The Board of Education approved a 3-year lease of 30 CNG buses, along with a 10-year lease-purchase for the additional CNG buses, fueling truck and infrastructure. After all expenditures, a projected savings of $9,022,508 over a ten-year period is anticipated. With the start of the 2016-2017 school year, NKC Schools' buses are operating with clearner air quality and sound reduction, addressing the district's interest in alternative fuel sources and emphasizing to students a sustainable impact.