Certified technicians, alternative fuel among factors in reducing
school bus total cost of ownership
FORT VALLEY, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
(Nasdaq: BLBD) – School districts across the nation are analyzing how
they purchase, service and fuel their bus fleets to make the best
economic decisions for their communities. By studying total ownership
costs — for the life of the bus— school districts can make a more
informed decision on how to manage their lifetime fleet expenses.
Two examples of districts collecting this data are Biloxi, Mississippi
and Washingtonville, New York.
“After evaluating our data, we found the right choice for Biloxi Public
Schools,” said Sam Bailey, transportation director for Biloxi Public
Schools. “Although not always the cheapest purchase price, [through our
data] we found that Blue Bird had the lowest cost of ownership, [lowest]
out-of-commission time, and the longest in-service life expectancy by 41
percent over the other brands.”
Through their data, Biloxi has also found the vehicle in-service rate
for Blue Birds is also higher than the other brands – there is a higher
percentage of Blue Bird buses on the road than in the shop for repairs.
This means these buses are more reliable to get children to school every
day.
“Our technicians are ASE certified, which means that Blue Bird
recognizes our technicians are qualified and permits our technicians to
complete warranty replacements at our department to expedite the buses
back to service,” says Sam Bailey. “Blue Bird, as a manufacturer, is
responsive to customer needs in regards to warranty issues, which also
reduces the time the buses are in the shop.”
Washingtonville Central School District has also reported valuable
savings through their Blue Bird propane models. While the upfront cost
of the propane buses was higher than diesel buses, the school district
was able to recoup that incremental cost within one year.
“Environmental reasons were a large part of our decision to purchase
Blue Bird propane autogas buses as much as cost savings,” said Paul
Nienstadt, executive director of operations for Washingtonville Central
School District. “We had a quick return on investment due to the
immediate savings from both fuel and routine maintenance expenses, and
this factors into our overall cost of ownership.”
Routine maintenance costs have dropped 30 percent for its alternative
fuel buses compared to the district’s diesel buses. Including a federal
tax credit, Washingtonville CSD saves $21,000 per year on fuel costs.
“School district fleet managers across the nation are finding, through
their comprehensive evaluation, that Blue Bird school buses make
economic sense,” said Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue Bird.
“Progressive districts like Biloxi and Washingtonville are examining the
time lost when operating their school buses, which helps the tax payers
and gets the children to school on time.”
About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird is the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school
buses, with more than 550,000 buses sold since its formation in 1927 and
approximately 180,000 buses in operation today. Blue Bird’s longevity
and reputation in the school bus industry have made it an iconic
American brand. Blue Bird distinguishes itself from its principal
competitors by its singular focus on the design, engineering,
manufacture and sale of school buses and related parts. As the only
manufacturer of chassis and body production specifically designed for
school bus applications, Blue Bird is recognized as an industry leader
for school bus innovation, safety, product
quality/reliability/durability, operating costs and drivability. In
addition, Blue Bird is the market leader in alternative fuel
applications with its propane-powered and compressed natural gas-powered
school buses. Blue Bird manufactures school buses at two facilities in
Fort Valley, Georgia. Its Micro Bird joint venture operates a
manufacturing facility in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Service and
after-market parts are distributed from Blue Bird’s parts distribution
center located in Delaware, Ohio.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150708006387/en/
Blue Bird Corporation
Justyne Lobello, 478-822-2763
Marketing
[email protected]
Source: Blue Bird Corporation