At the STN EXPO last July, Blue Bird announced the newest bus they would be offering: The Blue Bird Gasoline Vision. Many wondered: “Why did Blue Bird decide to bring back the gasoline school bus?”
Some may remember when gasoline was the fuel of choice, until diesel was accepted as the standard fuel type for school buses. Through the years, diesel buses have become more complex in order to meet required emissions standards, making them more expensive to maintain- so people are considering alternative solutions to their transportation needs.
One of these alternative solutions has been the Blue Bird Propane Vision. With the tremendous success of the Ford/ROUSH CleanTech system, Blue Bird reached out to their partners to create the gasoline-powered bus in order to provide customers a bus with a lower acquisition cost, which is also simple to maintain. The modern Ford 6.8L engine has a proven track record, with over 1.8 million of these engines in production at this time, being used in heavy-duty trucks as well as school buses. Paired with the Ford 6R140 transmission, this powertrain brings additional peace-of-mind, with over 1 million vehicles produced with this engine and transmission combination. The bus also provides plenty of power for on-highway applications as well as hilly or mountainous terrains.
Along with a proven powertrain, the bus comes with many of the same benefits as its propane-powered cousin. The engine runs quieter, doesn’t require expensive after treatments, runs better in cold weather conditions than diesel buses, has less parts to maintain, and is up to code with emissions standards. Plus, mechanics are easy to find for most any school district, anywhere in North America.
Obviously, infrastructure isn’t an issue. There is a gas station in nearly every town in the United States and Canada, so no need to worry about fill-ups while taking a long trip. Plus, there is an optional 100-gallon fuel tank available. It’s a great bus for field trips, sports teams and churches, too.
The bus also has the lowest up-front cost when compared to any other fuel type that Blue Bird carries. So acquisition savings are instant- a great option for large fleets, and single-bus purchases alike.
The Blue Bird Gasoline Vision is a great choice for many fleets and organizations, and is currently available for order now, with delivery expected in August of 2016. Contact your local Blue Bird dealer for more information.
