FORT PAYNE, Wing. – Forty Payne City Schools has added the state’s first all-electric school buses to its fleet. These buses are Blue Bird All American models, supplied with Cummins’ 100 percent electric PowerDrive system, which does not produce emissions: creating a healthier environment for academics using those buses.
“As electric power becomes increasingly common, it’s exciting to see Alabama get on the map by loading those buses on their routes,” said Chris Bible, Busworx’s corporate bus director. “They do not produce emissions, have no engine or transmission that requires maintenance and are incredibly quiet. The network will get great advantages from those buses.
Dr. Laran Adkins, Director of Transportation at Fort Payne City Schools, drafted the grant that guaranteed the investment that allowed the district to acquire the two buses.
“We were able to save $1 million in Volkswagen Colony investment, which allowed us to bring those green buses to our fleet,” Dr. Adkins said. “Twenty percent of the budget was provided through the district for the purchase of these electric buses.”
For returning students, those buses will offer more security features, such as backward-facing cameras, Wi-Fi, and advanced ventilation systems to mitigate the spread of viruses and bacteria.
“The air conditioners on those buses have air filtration systems to mitigate the bacteria and viruses students can breathe,” said Superintendent Jim Cunningham. “All buses in our fleet have air conditioning systems.”
The buses will recharge at the district’s on-site charging station, and are designed to operate in a variety of environments. Blue Bird’s electric buses offer comparable vehicle performance to traditional internal combustion engines while eliminating the need for conventional fuel, as well as oil, fuel and air filters. It also eliminates the need for transmission service, emissions systems, DEF and regens.
“As a manufacturer founded in the Southeast, we are excited to deliver the first electric school bus in the state of Alabama,” said Mark Terry, director of advertising at Blue Bird Corporation. “We look to the future to see the charge savings for the District and how this source of clean, effective, and transportation energy will promote the Fort Payne community.
The school district was also able to load two more diesel buses into its fleet, as well as those two electric buses. The district says this will help them save in the long run and work more successfully this school year. For more information on Blue Bird electric buses, visit www.blue-bird.com/electric.
In addition, Blue Bird is the market leader in select fuel programs with its school charter, electric and compressed herbal fuel buses. Blue Bird manufactures school buses at two facilities in Fort Valley, Georgia. Its joint venture Micro Bird operates a production plant in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Service and after-sales portions are distributed from the Blue Bird Parts Distribution Center in Delaware, Ohio. For more information on the full Blue Bird bus line, www.blue-bird.com.