KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Blue Bird is scheduled to debut new buses and technology at the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) trade show here on Tuesday.

Among the unveilings will be a new Type A bus model. Blue Bird will debut the Micro Bird T-Series bus line. Company officials said that the new line features a contemporary and ergonomic design that highlights the bus’ narrow body, designed to provide enhanced maneuverability.

The bus, offered on a new Ford Transit chassis, has a capacity of up to 25 passengers under 10,400 pounds. Company officials said that the bus offers aerodynamics that support increased fuel economy, maximized driver visibility, optimized driver ergonomics, highly responsive power and striking aesthetics.

Full production on the Micro Bird T-Series is scheduled for spring 2015.

Another debut will be Blue Bird’s electronic stability control provided by Bendix ESP. Company officials said that Blue Bird is the only manufacturer in North America to offer school bus stability technology.

The factory-installed Bendix ESP is an anti-lock brake system based stability technology that recognizes and assists with providing increased stability and control during bus under- and over-steer driving situations. The system utilizes a series of sensors to continuously monitor vehicle parameters, including wheel speed, lateral acceleration, steering angle, brake pressure and yaw rate. The sensors combine to measure driver intent and vehicle direction, which company officials said helps to improve driving through automatic interventions such as de-throttling the engine and selectively applying the brakes — typically reacting faster than human response.

Blue Bird’s electronic stability control option is featured on the Vision and All American lines.

Blue Bird will also debut a Propane Vision warranty that provides unlimited-mile propane system coverage for five years. This includes the engine, transmission, fuel tanks and propane system.

The new Propane Vision warranty is available on the 2015 model year and beyond.

“Blue Bird is excited to debut the highly anticipated Micro Bird T-Series bus and forward-thinking technology at the NAPT Summit,” said Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue Bird Corp. “These industry-leading debuts are an extension of our commitment to offering state-of-the-art buses and options that our customers value. We encourage the NAPT conference participants to stop by Blue Bird’s trade show booth and learn more about these leading products.”

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