Last month, executives from Blue Bird Corp. attended the China International School Bus Development Forum and Exhibition and displayed the company’s Vision school bus.

Officials said that Blue Bird was the only American school bus manufacturer at the event, which took place in Beijing and was sanctioned by the Ministry of Education. Chinese bus manufacturers were represented at the forum as well.

Blue Bird also said that its booth during the four-day exhibition received visits from Chinese customers, government officials, media and interested residents, who had an opportunity to board the Vision.

Moreover, the Blue Bird team, including President and CEO Phil Horlock, met with key central and provincial government officials, outlining fundamental features of the American school bus system, including school bus standards and driver training.

“We are very grateful to have been invited to participate and are appreciative of the warm welcome and genuine interest from everyone,” Horlock said. “Blue Bird is pleased to assist China in any way possible to address they key issue of safe student transportation. American school transportation methods are proven, safe and reliable, with over 24 million American children transported on yellow school buses each day. China is working to achieve a safer, more reliable form of student transportation, and the enthusiasm at this outstanding show is evidence of that.”

While in China, Blue Bird executives had an opportunity to visit several Chinese bus manufacturers and see firsthand the engineering and manufacturing process deployed in building Chinese school buses. Officials said Blue Bird is exploring several partnership opportunities in China, but no final agreements have been reached.