In January, as we were welcoming in a new year, the Ventura school district of southern California was also welcoming a new milestone along their path to being a green school district. Replacing one of their 1977 bus models, they introduced a new state-of-the-art, plug-in hybrid electric school bus to their fleet. Green buses are currently only being produced by one manufacturer in the U.S.—IC Bus Subsidiary of Navistar Inc., based in Raleigh, NC.
To read more about Navistar Inc., the details of the new technology involved in these new green buses, and their mission, click here.
Of the 19 new green buses scheduled to be produced, 11 states will be recipients. These states are New York, California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Iowa, and Washington. Ventura Unified School District received the only new green bus planned for the state of California. The Community Environmental Council applied for funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District.
These new buses are powered by a lithium ion battery pack, and are expected to improve fuel economy up to 30%. They are also expected to reduce emissions up to 40% over conventional gasoline-powered school buses. The system is designed to utilize both diesel and electric power in a highly efficient manner.
Superintendent of Ventura Unified School District, Trudy T. Arriaga said, "The bus reflects our commitment to being a green school district as we ensure safe and healthy learning environments for our students."
