The Pasco County School District, Florida, is looking into a possible public private partnership (P3) to develop a compressed natural gas (CNG) project.

According to sources, the school district is exploring transforming one-fourth of its bus fleet to compressed natural gas.

The school district is working on a possible partnership with Nopetro, a CNG station builder and operator, which would design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new facilities. The district would contribute land for the fueling station and will be the primary customer.

The contract would have a period of about 20 years. It could also involve a 10-year lease to purchase provision, under which Nopetro would finance initial acquisition of the school buses.

Assistant Superintendent Ray Gadd said:

We think we now have the potential to build a filling station, buy 100 buses and make this viable.

Nopetro has been recently selected by the St. Johns County, Florida, to develop, finance, own and operate a US$3 million public CNG station at the county's public works facility. The contract has a period of 20 years. The CNG station builder and operator has also achieved a similar PPP contract with Florida's Leon County School District.

Other authorities in Florida like the Jacksonville Transportation or the Miami-Dade Transit has plans to develop CNG PPP projects as well.

We have recently reported that the Pennsylvania's Public Private Transportation Partnership Office is inviting the private sector to submit their qualifications for the development of CNG fueling stations at up to 37 transit facilities.