TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Topeka Public School District has a new yellow bus, that’s a bit greener, and the first of its kind in Kansas.

USD 501’s new bus is from Wichita manufacturer Bluebird, and is fueled by propane, not diesel and gets about 300 miles to the tank.

The bus cost the district $99,749, which is about $8,000 more than a normal diesel bus.

District officials say they have a locked in price with their propane supplier of $1.50 a gallon, and they plan to take advantage of propane credits provided through the federal government.

"We feel the fuel costs will over the next five to seven years, even out the initial cost of the investment,” said Gary Menke, the Director of Purchasing for the District.

Menke said the district plans to evaluate this bus very closely, in determining if they want to invest in more propane buses.

“The propane powered bus met the EPA 2010 emissions standards several years ago. So it’s very clean power,” Menke said.

Peggy Clark, Transportation Manager with the district said they’ve wanted a propane bus like this for a few years now. She said the switch many school districts in California made to propane buses inspired them.

So riding in the much quieter and cleaner emission bus Friday was exciting for Clark.

"We're really pushing green and to get this type of bus, it just means we're the leader in the green field, and that's what we're looking forward to,” she said.