Calif. school district receives hybrid bus
NAPA, Calif. — Last week, the Napa Valley Unified School District received a plug-in diesel-electric school bus through funding from the Bay Are...
NAPA, Calif. — Last week, the Napa Valley Unified School District received a plug-in diesel-electric school bus through funding from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the EPA's Clean School Bus USA program and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The Napa school district is the first in the state, and one of only seven school districts in the U.S., to receive a hybrid bus.
The bus was built by IC Corporation and Enova Systems. It operates on a diesel engine and an electric battery activates when needed to reduce the amount of diesel fuel used to power the engine. To that end, it is expected to reduce fuel emissions by up to 90 percent and improve fuel economy by 70 to 100 percent.
Additional school districts around the country will be receiving hybrid buses later this year. Those districts are members of a buyers consortium that was initiated by Raleigh, N.C.-based Advanced Energy as part of a nationwide initiative called the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus Project. State energy agencies and pupil transportation providers are also part of the consortium.
The following Advanced Energy consortium members have received, or will receive, hybrid buses:
Napa Valley (Calif.) Unified School District — 1 bus (delivered)
Lake Chelan (Wash.) School District — 1 bus (delivered)
Little Rock (Ark.) School District — 1 bus (delivered)
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (Raleigh, N.C.) — 2 buses (delivered)
Jennings Transportation (Nazareth, Pa.) — 1 bus (delivered)
Florida Department of Education (Tallahassee, Fla.) — 2 buses (delivered)
South Carolina Department of Education (Columbia, S.C.) — 2 buses
State of New York — 2 buses
Durham School Services (Everett, Wash.) — 1 bus
City of Seattle — 1 bus
Sigourney (Iowa) Community School District — 1 bus
Nevada (Iowa) Community Schools — 1 bus
Killeen (Texas) Independent School District — 1 bus
Austin (Texas) Independent School District — 1 bus
Fairfax County, Va. — 1 bus
For more information on the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus Project, visit www.hybridschoolbus.org.
More Safety
North Carolina Student Killed While Boarding School Bus, Two Die in Utah Bus Crash
A Southern Nash High School student died after being struck by a pickup truck while approaching her school bus. In a separate incident, two people were killed after crashing into a school bus in Utah.
Read More →
Minneapolis School Zone Pilot Cuts Speeding 41% with Low-Cost Street Design Changes
In a pilot project in Minnesota, two school-area intersections had low-cost, temporary road and traffic flow improvements made to measure the impact on roadway and student safety. Here's what they found.
Read More →
Sitestream, Safety Vision Partner with Connecticut City to Launch School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Program
The new enforcement initiative combines camera technology and violation management software to document illegal school bus passing, encourage driver compliance, and enhance student safety.
Read More →
From Reactive to Proactive: Making Every Ride Visible
Smart technology only delivers its full value when it works together. See how Catalyst connects proven industry platforms to move student transportation from reactive to proactive.
Read More →
HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud Warns Motorists of Stopped School Buses
Through a transponder or Samsara connection, the product lets school bus fleets send advance warnings to approaching drivers through in-vehicle alerts.
Read More →
HopSkipDrive Reports Progress on Safety Advisory Council
More than a year after forming the council, independent safety experts have helped shape new rider-safety features and policy progress, with a new goal to address rider behavior.
Read More →
What the 2026 National School Bus Safety Month Resolution Means for Student Transportation
The bipartisan resolution highlights illegal school bus passing, student safety during loading and unloading, and the need for driver training and public education.
Read More →
School Bus Stop-Arm Violations Decline 53% Across Verra Mobility Programs
Verra Mobility shares how school bus stop-arm cameras and school zone safety programs are changing driver behavior, reducing violations, and protecting students.
Read More →
Most Bus Crashes Aren’t Your Fault. Here’s How to Prove It.
A guide for what to do in between a school bus crash and a claim: what to preserve, who to notify, and how to keep the facts available when they matter.
Read More →
National School Bus Safety Week 2026: Tips, Toolkits & Resources to Keep Students Safe
School bus safety takes more than awareness. Explore expert tips, enforcement strategies, and free resources to help protect students on every ride.
Read More →