Production of the first NEXBUS configured for 14 seats plus a wheelchair position was recently completed and is destined for Napa Valley Unified School District in northern California. Collins has an exclusive agreement to build the body with an Azure Dynamics parallel drive system on a Ford E-450 Chassis.
According to Collins test data, the NEXBUS offers up to a 40-percent increase in fuel economy and reduces maintenance costs by 30 percent.
“As the leader in the Type A School bus market, we are excited to bring another innovative product to the school bus industry,” said Kent Tyler, president of Collins Bus Corporation. “Our customers have gotten used to seeing hybrids in passenger cars and some of them personally own hybrids. Now they’ll be able to use the same technology for their small school buses throughout North America.”
The first potential customers of the Collins hybrid will be attendees at the 16th STN EXPO Conference here on July 27, when Collins features a ride and drive event. The next day during the trade show, the NEXBUS destined for Napa Valley will be on display at the company’s exhibit booth.
