Blue Bird Corporation announced it has delivered its first fleet of LPG-powered buses to the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), the largest school district in the state of Pennsylvania. The manufacturer supplied a total of 38 near-zero emission vehicles to help the district accelerate its shift to clean student transportation. The School District of Philadelphia serves nearly 200,000 students in 218 schools.

These Type C buses can carry a maximum of 42 students for up to 300 miles on a single tank of LPG. According to the company, its buses generate 96% fewer harmful emissions than their diesel counterparts, thereby, “protecting student, bus driver, and community health.”

In addition, Blue Bird explained that the buses lower the total cost of ownership of fleets, with school districts benefiting from fuel and maintenance cost savings of up to $3,700 per bus annually compared with diesel buses. Thus, SDP’s LPG-powered bus fleet could save the district more than USD 2.1 million over the 15-year life of its vehicles.

“We are excited to be leading the way here in Philadelphia as we grow our low-emission school bus fleet and create a healthier environment for our students, drivers, and the community-at-large,” said Superintendent Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed.D., School District of Philadelphia. “We are pleased to work with Blue Bird, the leader in low- and zero-emission school buses, and various other top partner organisations to bring our very first propane-powered bus fleet to fruition. Together, we continue to turn our compelling vision of clean student transportation into reality.”

“We are thrilled to supply the School District of Philadelphia, one of the largest in the nation, with our industry-leading, ultra-low-emission propane school buses,” stated Albert Burleigh, vice president of North America bus sales at Blue Bird Corporation.

Source: Blue Bird

Photo: Blue Bird

6 November 2024