LISLE, Ill. — Navistar will offer the Eaton Procision line of dual-clutch transmissions for its IC Bus CE Series school buses and its International DuraStar medium-duty trucks.

The new transmission option will be available on those buses and trucks in late 2015.

According to Eaton's testing, the seven-speed Procision transmissions deliver a fuel economy advantage compared to a similarly equipped vehicle with a torque converter automatic transmission.

The Procision features a dual-clutch design and electronic shifting that uses grade, vehicle weight and throttle input to provide optimal fuel efficiency and smooth, continuous delivery of torque, company officials said.

"Through our partnership with Eaton, we're offering our customers advanced technologies that provide safe and easy operation for any driver," said Jeff Sass, Navistar's senior vice president of North America truck sales and marketing. "Coupled with the reliability of our medium-duty platform, the Eaton Procision transmission delivers the uptime and efficiency our customers require in many driving environments."

The Procision dual-clutch technology reportedly allows for efficient acceleration from a stopped position and optimizes shift points that will efficiently get to the highest gear. Gear changes are made by swapping the engine torque between clutches with the next gear preselected. The dual-clutch module is fully contained within the transmission, and it is hydraulically controlled and oil cooled.

Company officials said that Eaton Procision transmissions utilize a new synthetic transmission fluid that provides component protection while reducing maintenance costs, as part of 150,000-mile or four-year lube and filter change intervals. The internal sump filter and electrical system do not require maintenance.

Features that target driver control and low-speed maneuverability include Hill Helper, Creep Mode and Tap Down Shifting.

"We engineered a host of features that instill confidence and maximize efficiency for operators with routes on hilly, difficult terrain, or those who navigate tight turns and traffic as part of an urban route," said Jeff Carpenter, Eaton’s medium-duty Procision engineering manager.

A five-year/unlimited-mile warranty covers the complete Procision system — including the dual-clutch module — in school bus applications.

For more details on Procision transmissions, go here.