School district adds first all-electric school bus to their growing alternatively-powered fleet
Roswell, GA (April 22, 2020) — Fulton County Schools has added the state’s first all-electric school bus to its growing fleet of alternatively-powered buses. This bus is a Blue Bird Vision and its electric drivetrain produces zero emissions, creating a healthier environment for the students riding this bus and the communities it operates in.
“We anticipate a great deal of savings in fuel and maintenance costs with this electric bus,” said Vickie Cross, Fulton County Schools’ executive director of Transportation. “Adding this fully-electric bus to our fleet helps us continue our legacy of creating a safer, cleaner environment for our students and communities.”
With assistance from grants provided by the Alternative Fuels Bond Fund and the Southern Company, the district was able to purchase the bus at a price comparable to their current combustion-fueled buses. The Blue Bird electric school bus is 100 percent electric, emitting zero emissions; even heating the bus is done electrically.
“Yancey Bros. Co. is proud to be the distributor of Georgia’s Blue Bird school buses. With over 400 delivered or on order in North America, we are thrilled to deliver the first all-electric school bus in the State of Georgia” said Shooter Roberts, Sales Manager, Yancey Bus Sales and Service.
The bus will recharge at the district’s on-site charging station, which had the chargers donated by Georgia Power. The system is designed to operate in a variety of environments. Blue Bird’s electric bus offers comparable vehicle performance to a traditional internal combustion engine with no emissions and greatly reduced maintenance.
“Blue Bird has already delivered electric school buses in 19 states and we are very excited to add Georgia to our growing list of state introductions,” said Trevor Rudderham, senior vice president for electrification at Blue Bird Corporation. “Georgia is the home of Blue Bird and we expect to build and deploy many more electric buses in this great state. Blue Bird’s electric buses continue the company’s long tradition of technical innovation and environmental care.”
The school district operates 940 buses in its fleet, with over 400 of these being fueled by alternative power, such as Propane. The electric bus was delivered to Fulton County Schools along with 41 propane-powered Blue Bird buses.
About the Fulton County School System
The Fulton County School System is the fourth largest school system in Georgia. More than 93,500 students attend 106 schools in the cities of Alpharetta, Chattahoochee Hills, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Palmetto, Roswell, Sandy Springs, South Fulton, and Union City.
