Blue Bird Delivers its 2,000th Electric School Bus

Rhea-AI Summary

Blue Bird (Nasdaq: BLBD) has delivered its 2,000th electric, zero-emission school bus to Clark County School District (CCSD) in Nevada. This milestone vehicle features Blue Bird's new extended range battery and can carry 84 students. CCSD received a $9.875 million grant from the EPA's Clean School Bus Program to purchase electric buses. Blue Bird's 2,000 electric buses serve districts across 41 U.S. states and 4 Canadian provinces, reducing carbon emissions by 21,000 metric tons annually.

The company is expanding its EV production capacity, including a new 40,000 sq ft EV Build-up Center and plans for a 600,000 sq ft manufacturing facility, aiming to produce over 5,000 electric buses annually. Blue Bird's electric buses use Accelera™ by Cummins' PowerDrive™ 7000 system, showcasing their collaboration in sustainable transportation solutions.

Positive

• Delivered 2,000th electric school bus, marking industry leadership
• Received $9.875 million grant for CCSD through EPA's Clean School Bus Program
• Electric buses reduce carbon emissions by 21,000 metric tons annually
• Expanding production capacity to over 5,000 electric buses per year
• Received $80 million DOE grant for new EV manufacturing facility

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst

Blue Bird's delivery of its 2,000th electric school bus marks a significant milestone in the company's transition towards zero-emission vehicles. This achievement could positively impact Blue Bird's (NASDAQ: BLBD) market position and financial outlook. The $9.875 million grant received by CCSD through the EPA's Clean School Bus Program highlights the substantial government support for this transition, which could drive future sales.

The company's expansion plans, including the new $80 million DOE-funded manufacturing facility, indicate potential for increased production capacity and revenue growth. With a target of over 5,000 electric buses per year, Blue Bird is positioning itself as a leader in this growing market segment. Investors should monitor how this expansion translates into revenue and market share gains in the coming years.

Environmental Policy Expert

The delivery of Blue Bird's 2,000th electric school bus represents a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions in the education sector. With these 2,000 buses reducing emissions by over 21,000 metric tons annually, the environmental impact is substantial. The EPA's Clean School Bus Program, part of the $5 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is proving to be a important driver in accelerating the adoption of zero-emission student transportation.

This milestone also highlights the growing trend of school districts prioritizing environmental sustainability. As more districts follow CCSD's lead, we could see a rapid shift in the school transportation landscape, potentially leading to stricter emissions regulations and increased funding for clean energy initiatives in the education sector.

Automotive Industry Analyst

Blue Bird's achievement in delivering 2,000 electric school buses demonstrates its leading position in the electric school bus market. The company's partnership with Accelera by Cummins for the PowerDrive™ 7000 system showcases the importance of strategic collaborations in driving innovation in this sector. Blue Bird's investment in expanding production capacity, including the new 40,000 square foot EV Build-up Center, indicates confidence in growing demand for electric school buses.

The transition to electric vehicles in the school bus sector could accelerate faster than in other automotive segments due to fixed routes, predictable charging times and strong government support. This trend could pressure other school bus manufacturers to rapidly develop competitive electric offerings or risk losing market share to early movers like Blue Bird.

08/27/2024 - 10:00 AM

Clark County School District in Nevada Receives Industry-Leading Milestone Vehicle to Help District Transition to Zero-Emission Student Transportation

MACON, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD), the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, has delivered its 2,000^th electric, zero-emission school bus marking an industry-leading milestone. Clark County School District (CCSD) in Nevada received Blue Bird’s 2,000^th electric vehicle (EV) to help the nation’s fifth largest school district transition its school bus fleet to clean student transportation.

Blue Bird delivered its 2,000th electric, zero-emission school bus marking an industry-leading milestone. Clark County School District in Nevada, the nation’s fifth-largest school district, received Blue Bird’s 2,000th electric school bus to help the district transition its school bus fleet to clean student transportation. (Photo: Business Wire)

CCSD operates 373 schools serving more than 300,000 students. The district maintains a bus fleet of more than 1,900 vehicles. CCSD transports over 123,000 students each school day on more than 1,400 bus routes.

Blue Bird provided its most advanced All-American electric school bus to CCSD. Featuring Blue Bird’s new, extended range battery, CCSD’s milestone zero-emission vehicle can carry 84 students. Depending on the charging infrastructure, the bus takes between three and eight hours to recharge fully.

CCSD received a $9.875 million grant through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program to purchase electric school buses, including Blue Bird’s zero-emission milestone unit. This program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) which provides a total of $5 billion over five years for clean school bus transportation nationwide.

“Today, we delivered our 2,000^th electric, zero-emission school bus in North America. We are thrilled to celebrate this major industry milestone with Clark County School District. Blue Bird is recognized as the undisputed leader in the field of clean student transportation. Electric school buses mean cleaner air to breathe for students, drivers, and the community at large,” said Britton Smith, president at Blue Bird Corporation. “Local, state, and federal funding for clean school buses remains at an historic high. Above all, we applaud the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program for accelerating the adoption of zero-emission student transportation nationwide and for helping to usher in an unprecedented era of technology innovation.”

CCSD’s milestone unit is now one of more than 2,000 Blue Bird electric school buses serving school districts across 41 U.S. states and 4 Canadian provinces. Replacing 2,000 diesel-powered and polluting school buses with an equal number of zero-emission vehicles reduces harmful carbon emissions by more than 21,000 metric tons annually. In addition, nearly 150,000 students a day are no longer exposed to diesel tailpipe emissions linked to serious health issues such as asthma or heart disease.

Blue Bird’s electric school buses have covered more than five million miles already. That is the same distance as driving the legendary Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles more than 2,000 times.

Blue Bird continues to significantly expand its electric school bus production in Fort Valley, Georgia. In 2023, the company opened a 40,000 square foot Electric Vehicle (EV) Build-up Center. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently selected Blue Bird to receive an $80 million grant to convert a former manufacturing site for diesel-powered motorhomes into an approximately 600,000 square foot, state-of-the-art electric vehicle manufacturing facility. The continued investments will enable the company to increase its long-term production capacity in excess of 5,000 electric school buses per year.

Blue Bird's zero-emission school buses are powered by the electric PowerDrive™ 7000 system from Accelera™ by Cummins, which is a result of their long-standing collaboration on technology innovation. This partnership has been instrumental in providing school districts nationwide with sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation solutions.

Clark County School District purchased its advanced electric vehicle through Blue Bird’s authorized school bus dealer Bryson Sales & Service Inc., a family-owned, Utah-based business founded in 1969.

About Blue Bird Corporation

Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 20,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses in operation today. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird's complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

About Clark County School District

Established in 1956, the Clark County School District (CCSD) is the number one choice for families and students. As the nation’s fifth-largest school district, we educate 300,000 students – offering a variety of nationally recognized programs, including Magnet Schools, Career and Technical Academies, and Advanced Placement programs. CCSD educates 64 percent of the students in Nevada and works closely with community partners and business leaders to educate students to compete in a global economy. For more information, visit https://ccsd.net.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827488733/en/

Blue Bird Media Contact

Julianne Barclay

TSN Communications

M: +1.267.934.5340

E: julianne@tsncommunications.com

Source: Blue Bird Corporation

FAQ

How many electric school buses has Blue Bird (BLBD) delivered?

Blue Bird (BLBD) has delivered its 2,000th electric, zero-emission school bus, marking an industry-leading milestone.

Which school district received Blue Bird's (BLBD) 2,000th electric bus?

Clark County School District (CCSD) in Nevada, the nation's fifth-largest school district, received Blue Bird's 2,000th electric school bus.

What is the range of Blue Bird's (BLBD) new electric school bus?

Blue Bird's new electric school bus features an extended range battery, but the specific range is not mentioned in the press release.

How much funding did CCSD receive for electric buses from the EPA's Clean School Bus Program?

CCSD received a $9.875 million grant through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean School Bus Program to purchase electric school buses.

What is Blue Bird's (BLBD) planned annual production capacity for electric buses?

Blue Bird (BLBD) is expanding its production capacity to produce in excess of 5,000 electric school buses per year.