First Zero-emission Vehicles in District’s School Bus Fleet
MACON, Ga.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD), the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, is supplying 13 electric school buses to the Bowling Green Independent School District (BGISD) in Kentucky. The school district serves approximately 4,400 students in eight schools. BGISD launched a pilot program to expand its school bus fleet with zero-emission vehicles to help advance student and community health.
Blue Bird will provide ten Vision and three All American electric school buses to BGISD. Vision Type C electric buses can carry 72 students for up to 120 miles on a single charge. All American Type D electric buses can transport up to 84 students for the same distance. Depending on the charging infrastructure, both model buses take between three and eight hours to recharge fully.
Blue Bird’s zero-emission vehicles will travel up to 75 miles on seven routes each school day, as they pick up and safely transport around 2,300 students to and from schools.
“Bowling Green Independent Schools could not be more excited about ushering in a new era of zero-emission student transportation by acquiring our first 13 state-of-the-art electric school buses,” said BGISD Superintendent Gary Fields. “We are looking forward to a successful pilot program and to building on our relationship with Blue Bird.”
Bowling Green Independent Schools received a $5,135,000 grant through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate Program to purchase its Blue Bird electric school bus fleet. This program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) which provides a total of $5 billion over five years for clean school bus transportation nationwide. Last year, the EPA awarded nearly $1 billion in funding to school districts across all 50 U.S. states for more than 2,400 clean school buses. In 2023, the EPA plans to offer an additional $1 billion in funding for low- and zero-emission school buses, including $400 million in competitive grants.
“We are thrilled to help Bowling Green Independent Schools transition to electric buses and clean student transportation,” said Britton Smith, president of Blue Bird Corporation. “The school district is poised to benefit greatly from Blue Bird’s high performing, advanced electric vehicles. Our Vision and All American buses perform exceptionally well in all weather conditions – from extreme heat to freezing cold – due to the outstanding thermal management of the batteries. In addition, we anticipate that the school district will realize significant savings. Blue Bird customers have reported an average 14 cents per mile in energy costs for electric buses compared to up to 49 cents per mile in fuel costs for their diesel buses.”
Blue Bird is the only U.S.-owned and operated school bus manufacturer in the United States. The company remains the proven clean transportation leader with more than 1,000 electric-powered, zero-emission school buses in operation today. BGISD purchased its advanced electric vehicles through Blue Bird’s authorized school bus dealer Central States Bus Sales in Lexington, Ky.
About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. Blue Bird buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – the majority of 25 million children twice a day – making us the most trusted brand in the industry. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 20,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses in operation today. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.
About the Bowling Green Independent School District (BGISD)
Bowling Green Independent Schools are preparing students to be excellent citizens, employees, and future leaders, both locally and globally. Educators in our schools strive to get to know each child and their families, to provide the best opportunities to learn, grow, and connect to the world.
BGISD has existed since the 1880s and has long been known for excellence in academic programs and success in athletics. The district serves approximately 4,400 students in preschool through 12th grade in eight schools: T. C. Cherry Elementary, Dishman McGinnis Elementary, Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary, Potter Gray Elementary, and W. R. McNeill Elementary, Bowling Green Junior High, Bowling Green High School, and the Bowling Green Learning Center, the district’s alternative school. For more information visit www.bgreen.kyschools.us.
Contacts
Blue Bird Corporation Media Contact
Julianne Barclay
TSN Communications
M: +1.267.934.5340
E: julianne@tsncommunications.com
Bowling Green Independent School District Media Contact
Leslie McCoy
Director of Communications
Bowling Green Independent Schools
T: +1.270.746.2200
E: leslie.mccoy@bgreen.kyschools.us
