Leonard Bus Sales announced on Nov. 9 they had delivered an all-electric CE Series school bus from IC Bus to Downsville Central School District.

Downsville Central School District in New York was one of almost 400 school districts across the country that received grants to purchase new zero or low-emission school buses.

Downsville applied for and received $395,000 from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, $375,000 of which will go toward purchasing the school bus, and $20,000 will help offset some of the costs associated with the vehicle charger and required infrastructure improvements at the school.

“There’s a lot to consider when purchasing an all-electric school bus and the folks at Downsville did a tremendous job in planning and making an informed decision,” said Leonard Bus Sales President Jon Leonard in a recent news release. “It’s exciting to think their students will soon be riding a brand new state-of-the-art electric school bus.”

Downsville Central School District worked closely with Leonard Bus Sales and Cornice Technology – their electrification partner – throughout the process to help them plan and make an informed decision.

Leonard Bus Sales and Cornice provided comprehensive project assessment and guidance to the school district including fleet operational requirements, school bus and charger acquisition, utility needs, and staff training. Leonard Bus Sales and Cornice Technology were able to make it easy for the Downsville Central School District to introduce the all-electric school bus into their fleet.

While Downsville Central School District chose to submit their own application for EPA funds, Leonard Bus Sales has secured upwards of $6.6 million in federal grants for other school districts across the state through the Environmental Protection Agency since last November.

The grants secured by Leonard Bus Sales will go toward purchasing 17 new electric school buses. With the recent announcement that New York State will release $100 million in funding for electric school buses, Leonard Bus Sales is looking forward to helping more school districts across the state with their electrification transition.

“New York state’s first-in-the-nation transition to an all-electric school bus fleet is a major transformation in how schools transport students, so it’s important that we assist our school district partners with the challenges that come with such a monumental change,” said Leonard.

Beginning in 2027, New York State law requires school districts to purchase all-electric school buses and fully transition their fleets to all-electric by 2035.

The IC Bus all-electric school bus is quieter than a conventionally powered bus, produces zero pipe emissions, and has three levels of selectable regenerative braking for a smoother ride and increased battery efficiency. The bus comes standard with alternating current (AC) and direct current fast charging (DCFC) readiness, a state-of-the-art digital instrument cluster, and the largest battery configuration available on the market. The IC Bus school bus seats up to 77 passengers and is filled with the latest safety features.