International Fuel Technology (IFT), a diesel fuel provider, has released thee results of a six-month field trial using its new No. 2 diesel fuel, called Performance Diesel. A school bus fleet located in St. Louis used the fuel, designed to reduce emissions and improve vehicle fuel economy.

Performance Diesel increased the fuel economy of the 40 school busses in the trial by more than 7%, increased lubricity 44%, reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) 7% and cut oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by 6%, all without modifications to the buses' engines.

The trial marks the end of stage one in a fuel purchase program involving IFT and Atlantic Express, as the company will now expand use of Performance Diesel to additional fleets it owns and operates, IFT said. IFT added that its Performance Diesel fuel costs an additional two cents per gallon on average compared to the price of regular diesel.