SOUTHLAND Transportation
INDUSTRY:
TransportationHEADQUARTERS:
Edmonton, AlbertaSOUTHLAND Transportation operates school, charter, commuter and specialized transportation buses throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan. It was the first school bus company in Canada to have its training program nationally recognized and certified by the Motor Carrier Passenger Council of Canada and has won the annual Consumer Choice Award since 2008.
The Challenge
SOUTHLAND Transportation began investing in Blue Bird Propane Vision school buses in 2007 as a way to improve safety and performance for the drivers as well as environmental friendliness. SOUTHLAND made the change from diesel-fueled buses in order to increase vehicle efficiency, provide an environmentally cleaner fuel, and to improve reliability and engine performance.
With the onset of winter, the benefit of switching to propane fuel for the fleet of buses has been especially clear, according to Vice President of SOUTHLAND Transportation, Tom Jezersek. “Our Superior Propane fuelled buses start easily in the cold temperatures which means we can get our passengers reliably to and from school in all temperatures. And because we don’t need to use oil pan heaters, our buses are both more reliable and safer for our drivers and our passengers.”
The switch to Superior Propane has also provided a one-stop solution to improve the fleet’s efficiency and impact on the environment. Before the switch, some of SOUTHLAND’s diesel buses had to be filled at off site filling stations, which was inconsistent with SOUTHLAND’s commitment to the environment.
In addition, each bus required regular basic maintenance and dangerous emissions and noisy engines in the schoolyards are a problem for students and school staff.
The Solution
Recognizing that their propane-fuelled buses were outperforming their diesel counterparts, required less maintenance and were better for the environment, SOUTHLAND Transportation invested in an additional 101 Blue Bird Propane Vision buses.
When Joe Russo, Director of Sales, at Superior Propane heard about SOUTHLAND’s purchase, he knew exactly how Superior could make a smart decision even smarter.
Without skipping a beat, he booked a meeting with Tom Jezersek and walked him through the simple transition to make all of their propane needs a one-stop shop.
A Superior Propane dispenser was soon installed, saving drivers precious time and SOUTHLAND maintenance and fuel costs.
“It was a triple win,” said Tom Jezersek. “Our drivers, shop mechanics and passengers all benefited.”
The Results
Today, SOUTHLAND Transportation transports 3,400 students in the Calgary, Alberta area alone using these school buses.
Benefits of the propane autogas-fuelled buses include:
- A more reliable engine and better performance
- Warmer buses in winter
- The easy refueling option that Superior provided has eliminated a time-consuming aspect of the bus drivers’ job
“Now we have a yard, we have a tank, our drivers don’t need to drive out of their way after their run to fill up. It’s all right there.” Tom Jezersek.
There’s no question that a partnership with Superior Propane has made the shift to propane autogas simple and even more efficient for SOUTHLAND Transportation.
Jezersek says he’s come to rely on Superior’s flawless service, trusting that they’ll have a steady supply and constant communication so SOUTHLAND can continue to provide exceptional, safe service for all of their customers.
“Superior’s service exceeded our expectations,” said Jezersek. “Joe made sure we had the infrastructure we needed for every yard. He definitely has proven his loyalty and dedication to this industry. He’s part of the community.”
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