Blue Bird Corporation

Taking Safety to the Next Level As part of Blue Bird's Next Level Safety announcement, a school bus crash test was performed at IMMI's premiere testing facility, CAPE, in Westfield, Indiana. The simulated crash test demonstrates the added safety Blue Bird buses provide passengers in the event of an accident when equipped with three-point seat belts and driver air bags, compared to the dangers passengers face without the added safety features. Watch the video to see the importance of making the safest vehicles on the road even safer for passengers, drivers, and everyone on the road.

"... once you've got it up to a nice warm temperature... it's a lot easier for that bus to be able to keep doing that as it's going down the road." Preconditioning school buses in cold weather allows buses to warm up to temperature, preserving battery capacity for route operation and improving efficiency. Learn more about optimizing electric school bus charging in the latest episode of the Bird's Eye View podcast: https://hubs.ly/Q030mlG50

We joined Wilkes County Schools, along with Yancey Bros. Co., Highland Electric Fleets, local and state officials, and third grade students earlier this week for a ribbon cutting to mark the district's historic milestone of becoming the first in Georgia (and one of the first in the nation) to serve all of its 25 daily bus routes exclusively with low- and zero-emission school buses. With the delivery of 5 electric and 12 propane-powered school buses, Wilkes County Schools' fleet today exceeds strict emission standards that will take effect in 2030. In addition, the district stands to save more than an estimated $1.2 million over the life of its vehicles. Read more about the historic milestone and Wilkes County's leadership: https://hubs.ly/Q030c-fn0

Wilkes County Schools Leads the Way as Georgia’s First District with an All-Clean School Bus Fleet Blue Bird supplied 5 electric and 12 propane-powered buses to Wilkes County Schools, the first school district in Georgia to serve all of its 25 daily bus routes exclusively with zero- and ultra-low-emission school buses. WCS’ new fleet of electric and propane-powered buses eliminates regular diesel bus routes, significantly improving air quality for students and the surrounding community, while also significantly reducing operating costs. “We are delighted to supply Wilkes County Schools with our industry-leading, electric and propane-powered school buses,” said Albert Burleigh, vice president of North America bus sales at Blue Bird Corporation. “Moving forward, students on all 25 daily routes will travel exclusively on zero- and ultra-low-emission buses to and from school. We applaud Wilkes County Schools for putting student and community health first.” Read more about the district's new fleet of electric and propane-powered buses, improving air quality for students and the surrounding community, while also significantly reducing operating costs: https://hubs.ly/Q02_YP9P0

#FlashbackFriday Blue Bird was built on a rich history of safety, as illustrated by this ad from our archives. Blue Bird school buses have carried the most precious cargo in the world for nearly a century, and we continue to design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a primary focus on safety.

Blue Bird Dealer Sales teams gathered in Michigan for Propane Bootcamp with ROUSH CleanTech. This dynamic training session covered propane 101, included a hands-on walkaround, and highlighted the benefits of using the fuel type in school buses. Thank you to our partners at Roush for ensuring our dealer network stays informed on all things propane, and to our dedicated salespeople for their commitment to providing customers with the latest knowledge and exceptional support.

In 2024, Blue Bird reached new heights with record-breaking achievements, remarkable growth, and overall improvement. These aren't just company milestones; they're the collective triumphs of every dedicated Blue Bird team member. Last week, we gathered at the annual holiday townhall to honor the hard work of our production team, celebrate our milestones, and enjoy some exciting giveaways. A heartfelt thank you to each and every team member for your unwavering commitment, and to our dealers, bus drivers, suppliers, and everyone else who helps us provide safe student transportation to millions across North America. #OneTeamOneBlueBird

“Strong partnerships have made the whole experience a no-brainer,” Scott Speer, transportation director at Hannibal Public Schools, about the support from various organizations when the district introduced propane buses to the fleet. The district's drivers also benefitted from a Blue Bird and Roush CleanTech training session where “everything was addressed. It was great training,” said Speer. Read more about Hannibal Public School's propane bus experience in the ROUSH CleanTech and Missouri Propane Gas Association case study: https://hubs.ly/Q02-JCht0

Industry support, enhancement to compartmentalization, and other safety benefits led Blue Bird to launch the most comprehensive school bus safety upgrades in its history, including the industry-first standardization of seat belts, driver air bags and other safety features earlier this year. At the 2024 National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) Annual Conference “Seat Belts & State Specifications” panel discussion, we shared more about the “why?” behind campaign to increase and improve overall safety. Read more about the School Bus Safety and OEM Update Panels at 2024 NASDPTS Annual Conference: https://hubs.ly/Q02-w_FW0

Electric school bus customers reported fuel costs of up to 79 cents per mile for their diesel buses, compared to an average 19 cents per mile in energy costs for electric buses. By optimizing EV infrastructure, districts can realize huge cost savings benefits in fuel costs alone. Stephen Koskoletos, Vice President of Strategy and Growth at Polara joins Brad Beauchamp, Electric Vehicle Product Segment Leader for Blue Bird, once again in the latest episode of the Bird's Eye View podcast to discuss "Electric School Buses: Optimizing EV Infrastructure." The subject-matter experts cover scalability and planning, battery energy storage systems, sizing and pre-conditioning, and communication with utilities. Watch the full episode to learn more about what it takes to optimize charging infrastructure: https://hubs.ly/Q02ZKxsB0