In the Chinese Calendar, 2015 is the Year of the Sheep, yet engine and vehicle upgrades coming to the industry give customers no reason to be sheepish. And manufacturers are hoping customers will soon line up to test purchase the new offerings.
School bus manufacturers once again turned to customer feedback while also using their own observations to make their products more desirable and competitive in the growing school bus market. Since 2007, emission standards have forced original equipment manufacturers to drastically increase research and development to keep up with emission laws and a competitive playing field. Other OEM requirements include compliance with Canada’s D250 guidelines for maintaining a high standardof end user safety and reliability.
Updates in manufacturing to keep up to these standards are always evolving, and school bus customers who have been operating in the industry for a long time are very savvy when it comes to what they want in their bus specifications. They know what works best for their fleet and, from experience, know what changes need to be implemented to keep their operation working as efficiently as possible. At present, there are several manufacturers working hard to meet this criteria. School Transportation News spoke to several players.
Cummins Westport Natural Gas Engines
The partnership of Cummins Inc. and Westport announced a 38-percent price reduction on spark plug kits for the Cummins ISL G and a 30-percent reduction for the ASX12 G engines effective this past Jan. 6, 2014. In March Cummins announced an integrated powertrain package consisting of the ISX12 G and the Eaton Ultrashift PLUS automated transmission. This is the first spark-ignited natural gas engine to be paired with an automated transmission in the North American market.
Westport’s E-450 Type A school bus application is EPA and CARB certified, and calibrations are adapted to meet EPA changes each year. Along with the Type A school bus is the recent announcement of both a bi-fuel and dedicated 2015 Ford Transit Connect with a 2.5L gaseous prep engine.
“The Westport WiNG power system creates either a dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) truck or a bi-fuel truck capable of running on CNG first, then if empty, gasoline,” says Paul Shaffer, Westport vice president and managing director of North American Ford Business. “It allows the owner to use a clean, domestic, low-cost energy source as their primary fuel and optionally have the security of gasoline as a backup fuel.”
He added that the Westport WiNG Power System is ordered and serviced at authorized Ford dealers and distributors, installed at a Westport facility and shipped to dealers using the normal Ford transportation system.
Cummins Inc. is going into production of its new V8 diesel engine in the fourth quarter of this year.
Cummins to Launch New ISV5.0
The ISV5.0L will come with a high-pressure, common-rail fuel system, VGT and SCR emissions technology. Its compact, lightweight design is estimated to provide 20 to 40 percent better fuel economy than its gas-engine counterparts, company representatives told STN.
Meanwhile, the current ISB 6.7 model introduced in 2013 has an added intake throttle, coupled with overall combustion efficiency improvements and reduction in parasitic loss, resulting in fuel economy improvements up to 2 percent higher compared to the previous model.
“Cummins is committed to delivering a complete lineup of diesel and natural gas engines providing efficient and reliable solutions for all of our customers. Leveraging our proven technology and total system integration has driven continuous product improvements maximizing fuel economy and performance while decreasing emissions,” stated Laura Chasse, general manager of Cummins North American Bus Business.
In addition to the ISB6.7 and ISL9 diesel engines, the new ISV5.0 will begin production in the fourth quarter of this year, and Chasse said they offer “a great complement” to the current Cummins lineup with ratings from 200 to 275 hp. The company will also continue to offer the best-selling natural gas engine in the market, the ISLG.
“As we look towards the future, our focus will remain on continuous product improvements and technology innovations to bring cleaner and more fuel-efficient products to the market,” Chasse concluded.
Ford Transit Cutaway School-Bus Ready
The 2015 model year marks the first time in North America that customers will see the all new Ford Transit van, wagon, cutaway and chassis cab. Transit cutaway has an open passenger compartment so it can be paired with specialty body modules such as school bus bodies, said Minyang Jiang, Ford’s brand manager for Transit, Transit Connect and the E-Series.
The School Bus Prep Package and Multifunctional School Activity Bus Prep Package, built on the Transit cutaway, includes banded front-door glass, dual heavy-duty batteries, heavy-duty alternator (gas only; diesel includes 210 amp alternator), front license plate bracket, auxiliary fuse panel and auxiliary heater/air-conditioner prep package without rear controls.
Minyang said production for all body styles of the Transit is underway in accordance with Ford’s plan for producing multiple body styles and roof heights. The Transit cutaway will be available in dealerships this summer. The E-Series cutaway will also continue to be built and sold through most of this decade, Minyang added.
The E-Series School Bus Prep Package and Multifunctional School Activity Bus Prep Package are available on select E-350 and E-450 cutaway models and include banded front-door glass (tinted), high-back driver’s seat only, frame pucks, heavy-duty 155 amp alternator and 40-gallon fuel tank. The E-Series cutaway is offered with the 5.4L Triton 16 valve Flex Fuel V8 engine and 6.8L Triton 20 valve V10 engine.
GM & Chevrolet School Bus Cutaways
The GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express Type-A school bus chassis have four OEM factory-installed engines with three fuel options to choose from. The most recent is the 6.0L gaseous fuel engine for liquefied petroleum gas. Other engine options are the 4.8L and 6.0L gasoline engines, along with the 6.6L V-8 Turbo clean diesel using SCR (selective catalyst reduction) aftertreatment technology.
The 3500 and 4500 chassis include an option package specially designed for school bus applications. Available are a brake-warning indicator, stop/turn LED lights, HVAC and rear heat provisions, back-up camera kit and heavy-duty alternator with dual batteries. The 4500 Series cutaway models have a 10-percent increase in metal gauge thickness with added spot welds and structural adhesive on selected components.
Motiv Power Systems & Trans Tech Bus: An Electric Partnership
The SST-e, the first approved, from-factory all-electric school bus launched this year by Motiv Power Systems and Trans Tech Bus, is already being used by Kings Canyon Unified School District in California. The Motiv electric Powertrain Control System (ePCS) was designed to easily adapt to the Ford E450 Type A chassis.
“Our system is battery agnostic. It ‘future-proofs’ fleets against changes in the battery market such as discontinued batteries or future improved technology,” said Jim Castelaz, founder and CEO of Motiv. “This makes a Motiv-equipped bus the most flexible and customizable all-electric powertrain for trucks on the market.”
On June 30, Motiv Power Systems announced it had raised $7.3 million in growth capital from investors led by Magness Investment Group. Meanwhile, the second SST-e school bus was being prepared for delivery to Kings CanyonUnified School District in time for the start of school this month.
“An electric bus can save a school district about 16 gallons of fuel a day, or around $11,000 in fuel savings over a year, not to mention maintenance savings,” said John Phraner, president of Trans Tech. “We are very excited to continue to help school districts reduce their transportation budgets and are committed to opening the market for the all-electric school bus.”
IC BUS & Navistar
IC Bus models now come with the optional Cummins ISB6.7L diesel engine. The SCR aftertreatment system has allowed school buses to operate within emission guidelines. The MaxxForce 7 and DT diesel engines that use EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) are still available since they meet 2010 emission guidelines. They are manufactured through the use of credits from the U.S. EPA and will still be built until those credits run out.
Carl Webb, vice president and general manager of IC Global Bus, said the company’s CE Series offers the broadest selection of mid-range diesel engines in the industry.
“Diesel engines still dominate the school bus market due to their proven fuel economy and durability,” he added. “We’ve had tremendous success since the launch of the Cummins ISB engine in our product line. With the clean installation of the ISB, it allows technicians easy access to all major service points. Some say the CE Series with Cummins ISB 6.7 is a mechanics dream.”
Navistar also added several improvements this year to its CE Series. The battery box is now frame mounted with a heavy-duty, drawer-style design that provides three inches of additional space outward for easier access to the rear of the battery pack. The coolant booster pump was relocated to the driver-side firewall for easier access and protection from the environment.
Meanwhile, the space between the doghouse and rear of the engine has increased with the Cummins ISB engine retrofit, allowing technicians easier access. The smaller emission components and use of the original DT MaxxForce engine doghouse makes this possible. The fuel heater and water in fuel indicator will now come standard in all CE models.
Other upgrades available include a driver cockpit that incorporates feedback and measurements from more than 1,500 school bus drivers nationwide to ensure optimum ergonomics, easy-reach features and maximum comfort while driving.
The new CE Series school bus also offers 32-inch entry doors, the widest available. It comes standard with the proprietary Leave No Student Behind® alarm system for drivers’ post-trip inspections. The alarm requires drivers to walk the length of the interior aisle, scanning each seating area for children, and to disable an alarm located at the rear of the bus before exiting. The alarm is linked to Navistar’s Diamond Logic multiplex system.
Navistar said IC Bus CE Series school buses are built with standard 16-gauge steel side rails and an 18,500-pound rear steel spring suspension, which offer durability to customers. The bus’s Easy-tilt® three-piece hood and exterior electrical panel is also designed to simplify and hasten maintenance trips, increasing vehicle uptime as a result.
Blue Bird to Bring Enhanced Climate Control to Vision, All American Models
Blue Bird Corporation showed several new enhancements at the STN EXPO Trade Show last month including a new factory-installed, air-conditioning system for its Type C and Type D models that the company said eliminates encroachment into the passenger compartment, or the possibility of a “head knocker.”
Rusty Mitchell, Blue Bird’s product management director, said the Mobile Climate Control air-conditioner is mounted in the bulkheads at the front of the bus above the windshieldand at the rear of the bus above the emergency door window. Additionally, the in-dash evaporator benefits the bus driver.
He added that customers can opt for a skirt-mounted, under-floor condenser or one mounted at the roof. The evaporator and condenser fans are constructed of permanent magnet for longer life.
Customer input drove the upgrade, Mitchell told STN, as they wanted a system “that was clean-looking inside the passenger compartment but also something that was durable and reliable.” He said the benefit of factory-installed units is that engine suppliers Cummins and Ford/ROUSH CleanTech validated all compressor mounts to assuage any concerns of voiding warranties. Mitchell added that Blue Bird also evaluates the entire bus’ electrical system, including the alternator, to ensure sufficient output.
“That’s not what you get with an aftermarket installation,” he said.
The MCC system also meets stringent requirements in Florida and Texas for ensuring A/C reduces internal temperatures to an acceptable “comfort range.”
Other enhancements coming to the 2015 model-year Vision and All American buses include a new luggage compartment and windows that are more durable and easier to open and close due to reinforced, ergonomically friendly latches made of glass-filled nylon, which can withstand more than 50,000 up-and-down cycles during the life of the bus. The windows are outfitted with an increased amount of weather stripping to reduce noise, wind, dust and water intrusion.
The new, steel-bonded luggage compartments provide an improved external aesthetic as well as reinforcements to the door frame, a new three-latch system for opening and closing the door and a new bulb seal around the door to keep inside contents cleanand dry. Options include gas cylinders to operate the door, with illumination, as well as three sizes of compartments.
