COLUMBUS, Ohio — School bus manufacturer Thomas Built Buses launched its Electric Bus Authority program at the National Association for Pupil Transportation’s (NAPT’s) annual conference and trade show on Tuesday.

The program is designed to guide school districts through the necessary steps for integrating electric vehicles (EV) into existing fleet operations. Consultation centers on topics including route analysis and optimization, infrastructure assessment, identifying financing options and funding support, and providing product training for Thomas Built Buses’ Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley.

“Transitioning to an electric vehicle fleet is both rewarding and complex,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “Thomas Built Buses is proud to provide districts with a clear path for understanding whether an electric school bus fleet is right for them, as well as the tools and expertise they will need to make their EV fleet come to fruition.”

The first step in the program is to connect customers with EV consultants to help determine the operational feasibility of an EV fleet for a given district. Consultants then guide customers through charging and infrastructure assessment, navigating utility provider partnerships, completing grant applications, securing financing, and, ultimately, providing assistance with final fleet integration.

“Our commitment to our customers goes beyond designing and manufacturing an electric school bus,” Edgerly added. “Customers don’t always know where to turn for funding and grants, the process for installing charging infrastructure, or even how partnerships with their local utility providers can help fund their EV goals. This is new territory for many of our customers, so Thomas Built Buses and our dealers are here and ready to assist our customers with any challenge in the electric bus landscape.”

As a division of Daimler Trucks North America, Thomas Built Buses draws upon its parent company’s worldwide resources for electrification technology, innovation, and econsulting services.

To learn more about the Electric Bus Authority, go here.