The eight Blue Bird Propane-Powered Vision school buses have been in operation at Fort Zumwalt School District since last June. The district’s chief financial officer says the district is saving “around 18.9 cents per mile due to lower fuel costs,” and officials anticipate that the buses will save the district “approximately $18,000 this school year.”
Read More →Glendale Elementary School District acquires six Blue Bird propane buses and seven Collins propane buses — the district's first powered by the alternative fuel. Canyon State Bus Sales' Phil Polizzatto calls the district's decision "both financially and environmentally responsible."
Read More →The fiscal deal passed by Congress this week includes provisions that benefit fleets that use alternative fuels. The bill, expected to be signed into law by President Obama, extends tax credits for such fuels as propane, compressed natural gas and biodiesel — all of which power many school buses.
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Now in its 37th year of business, Central States Bus Sales recently strengthened efforts to focus on the school bus manufacturer’s green technologies and provide comprehensive instruction for customers in the process.
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The director of transportation and fleet at Adams 12 Five Star Schools in Thornton, Colo., has orchestrated adjustments to school bell times to make busing more efficient, for an overall savings of $900,000.
Read More →State director Ben Shew tells SBF that propane’s price and its availability in West Virginia are key factors in school districts’ interest in the alternative fuel. He says that switching to propane could save more than $3,100 in fuel costs annually per bus.
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Kelley Platt, the company's president and CEO, says that transportation changes many districts are making — from running buses longer to increasing walking distances — have reduced the need for new buses and aren’t likely to be reversed. In turn, the OEM is focused on becoming more cost-effective in its manufacturing while maintaining quality. Platt discusses the market shifts, cost of ownership and product developments with SBF.
Read More →Officials say that at 10,000 square feet, the new facility is double that of the previous facility, and that its configuration allows for better use of production space, including a dedicated clean room for sensitive component assembly and an expanded prototype shop for developing new designs and systems.
Read More →A Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition team, which includes Eaton Corp. and the Kentucky Department of Education, receives the first Visionary Leadership Award from the Southeast Diesel Collaborative Group. Eaton assembles the hybrid system for the buses, and the coalition provides the buses through a U.S. Department of Energy grant.
Read More →John Phraner will replace Dan Daniels, who plans to leave the Type A school bus manufacturer before the end of the year to be closer to his family. Phraner spent the last 22 years at North East Fabricators as the general manager, and the company has been a supplier to Trans Tech.
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