First in state hybrid school bus joins APS fleet

The first in the state hybrid school bus became part of the APS fleet of school buses that transports students to school July 14, the first day of classes for the district’s year-round schools. The Thomas Built Hybrid Saf-T-Liner C2 bus was used to transport students to and from Boyd Elementary School with students from the surrounding neighborhood.

The hybrid bus is specifically designed to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.  It is also designed for reduced brake wear, component maintenance and noise.  The vehicle employs a high-efficiency diesel engine and a lithium battery-powered electric motor to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by thirty percent and more.

“Except for the small “hybrid” plaque on the back of the vehicle, the bus is indistinguishable from the other large yellow school buses in the fleet,” said Larry Hoskins, APS’ Chief Operations Officer. “But it represents the beginning of a major transformation of APS’ pupil transportation fleet to a more environmentally friendly, cost-saving and energy-efficient model.”

Check out the media coverage of the first day with the new hybrid bus, in the AJC, WAGA (Fox5) and WXIA (11Alive).