Wilkes County Schools (WCS) are taking a ride on the electrified highway. The district announced that it is the first in Georgia to have all its daily bus routes served by electric and propane buses, instead of diesel ones.
“We are proud to be among the first school districts in the nation to launch a fleet of all-electric and propane-powered school buses,” Michelle Smith, superintendent of Wilkes County Schools, said in a press release.
Blue Bird Corporation, an electric and low-emission school bus leader, delivered five electric and 12 propane-powered school buses to WCS through authorized school bus dealer Yancey Bus Sales & Service in Austell, Georgia. The purchase brought the district’s total to 22 propane buses, giving them spares and two more clean buses than it has routes. These vehicles exclusively serve all 25 daily routes.
Photo Courtesy Blue Bird
Diesel-powered vehicles release hefty carbon emissions that are not safe for children, drivers, or the environment. On the contrary, Blue Bird’s buses generate zero emissions and can carry approximately 60 students up to 130 miles on a single charge, and propane buses can go even further, 200 miles, without needing more fuel.
“We are delighted to supply Wilkes County Schools with our industry-leading, electric and propane-powered school buses,” Albert Burleigh, vice president of North America bus sales at Blue Bird Corporation, said in a statement. “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.”
In 2017, Ron Stephens, Wilkes County Schools transportation director, realized that 70% of the school’s bus fleet had exceeded its lifespan of 14 years. According to SBF’s annual survey, the average age of a school bus is nine years, with most retired at 15 or 16 years old on average.
Photo Courtesy Blue Bird Corporation
According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, “using propane as a vehicle fuel can provide the convenience of on-site fueling economically, improves public health and the environment, provides safety benefits, and contributes to a resilient transportation system.”
“The propane engines are easier to work on, and they’re less expensive to work on, and it’s just way cleaner, obviously,” Stephens told The Macon Telegraph.
In 2019, the United States Board of Education funded the purchase of the district’s first 10 propane buses. And, in 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Clean School Bus Program, which allows school districts to get a $30,000 credit for a propane bus or a free electric bus and charging station in exchange for destroying a diesel bus.
The school district didn’t want to ask only for propane buses, so officials requested five electric buses on top of another 12 propane ones to better its chances of getting accepted into the EPA’s program— it worked. WCS was among 15 awardees in Georgia sharing $50 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for 149 electric buses. The district itself received a $2,335,000 grant.
“Blue Bird’s zero- and ultra-low-emission school buses will help us to create a healthier environment for our students and our communities at large while significantly lowering our operating costs,” Smith said in a press release. “Together, we have transformed our ambitious vision of clean, sustainable student transportation into a reality.”
Photo Courtesy Element5 Digital
In December 2024, the district debuted five new charging stations for the district’s fleet of electric school buses. Highland Electric Fleets, a leading school bus fleet electrification-as-a-service provider, installed the five new Tellus charging stations. “We’re thrilled to be one of the partners helping Wilkes County Schools transition to a fully clean school bus fleet, bringing lasting air quality to students and cost-saving benefits to the school district,” Duncan McIntyre, CEO of Highland Electric Fleets, said in a statement. “By adding electric school buses and charging infrastructure, WCS is investing in healthier, more resilient communities while ensuring that students have a safe, reliable ride to school every day.”
