Thomas Built Buses sees diesel as the bridge to the future of school busing, which will be powered by electricity.
He’s not alone. Most STN readers, at least
91 percent of those responding to a survey in January, stated they are running diesel fuel. Plus, nearly three-quarters of that same group said they are not actively transitioning away from diesel. (Twenty-three percent are actively transitioning away from diesel and 5 percent are already operat- ing a fleet without any diesel school buses.) Plus, the Diesel Technology Forum adds via its website that 95 percent of larger school buses in America are powered by diesel engines, and over half of those (58 percent) rely on the cleanest, near-zero emission diesel engine technology. Even school districts looking to fully electrify their fleets, such as early adopter Twin Rivers Unified School District in Sacramento, Califor- nia, keeps diesel on stand-by for longer activity trips. Tim Shannon, the director of facilities planning and efficiency for transportation, said the district is currently running 58 electric school buses, with plans to have another 24 electric buses in the next year and a half. He said Twin Rivers will keep four diesel buses for field trips and longer athletic trips and will decom- mission all but six mid-size CNG buses. “To be honest with you, I think there’s a place
for [diesel] right now as long as it’s clean,” he said, adding that Twin Rivers is running renew-
50 School Transportation News • MARCH 2023
able diesel. “I think there’s a place for it in the school bus sector. Because of the new cycle it is going to phase out, so you’re going to see it less and less.” For one OEM, however, diesel’s days may be
numbered. Britton Smith, the senior vice presi- dent of electrification and chief strategy officer at Blue Bird, explained that the EPA final rule is go- ing to be very challenging to comply with when manufacturing diesel powered school buses. “Due to the nature of school bus routes with
frequent stops, the current diesel technologies do not lend themselves well to reducing NOx emissions below the levels required in 2027,” Smith added, noting that Blue Bird offers CNG, propane and electric options that already com- ply or will comply with the emissions standards. “Blue Bird is the leader in low- and zero-emis-
sion school buses with more than 20,000 propane, natural gas, and electric-powered buses in operation today,” Smith said. “With less than 50 percent of our current sales in diesel, Blue Bird is leading the way in the school bus industry to provide alternatives to diesel-fueled buses. Along with the 2027 EPA emissions restrictions, other guidelines such as CARB emissions restrictions, [Zero-Emission Vehicle Program] requirements and multiple federal and state incentives for
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