Blue Bird Corp. has received an order for eight electric school buses from Orange Unified School District (OUSD) in California. Due to the purchase, the school district will more than double the size of its current Blue Bird electric school bus fleet.
OUSD started transitioning to electric school buses in 2021 by purchasing seven Blue Bird All American Type D electric buses. The district anticipates delivery of the eight new buses in the fourth quarter of 2022.
“The price of diesel fuel continues to rise sharply,” states Christina Celeste-Russo, OUSD’s director of transportation. “With the purchase of Blue Bird electric school buses, Orange Unified School District is taking active steps to reduce our fossil fuel dependency, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and improve community health. Orange Unified School District is leading the way to sustainable student transportation.”
“We are delighted to partner with the Orange Unified School District as they expand their Blue Bird electric school bus fleet,” comments Matthew Stevenson, Blue Bird Corp.’s president and CEO. “Blue Bird’s most advanced, electric-powered buses help Orange USD turn its vision of clean school bus transportation into reality. Soon, thousands of school children across the district will enjoy emission-free rides to school.”
Blue Bird’s electric school buses were partially funded by California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District and/or the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project funds.