MACON, Ga. / Dec 07, 2023 / Business Wire / Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD), the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, has donated an advanced Blue Bird Vision electric school bus to Peach County Schools (PCS) in Georgia. Peach County is home to Blue Bird’s Fort Valley, Ga, manufacturing facility since the company’s founding nearly a century ago. The local school district will utilize the advanced, zero-emission school bus for day trips, field trips, and on special routes.

Peach County Schools serves more than 4,000 students in seven schools. The school district maintains an all-Blue Bird fleet of nearly 50 school buses. These school buses travel nearly 4,000 miles a day, as they pick up and safely transport approximately 2,300 students to and from schools.

Blue Bird donated a pre-owned Vision all-electric school bus in excellent condition to PCS. The 37-foot, zero-emission vehicle can carry a maximum of 66 students for up to 120 miles on a single charge. Individuals riding on Blue Bird’s electric bus are no longer exposed to diesel tailpipe emissions linked to health issues such as asthma or heart disease.

“We thank our valued community partner Blue Bird for the generous donation of an electric school bus,” said Peach County Schools Superintendent Dr. Lionel Brown. “Both Peach County Schools and Blue Bird have called Fort Valley our home for nearly a century. Today, we add the first zero-emission vehicle to our school bus fleet. Moving forward, our students will enjoy clean and quiet rides on fun-filled day and field trips. We could not be more excited.”

“As a good corporate citizen, we are pleased to donate an advanced Vision electric school bus to our friends and neighbors at Peach County Schools,” said Blue Bird CEO Phil Horlock. “For more than 30 years, the district has solely relied on Blue Bird for its school bus needs. Now students and staff will experience our zero-emission vehicles – the next step in the evolution of clean student transportation.”

Blue Bird partner, InCharge Energy will donate a Level 2 AC vehicle charger enabling the bus to be recharged overnight. The donation includes the charging hardware, one year of InControl software and data plan, a virtual site assessment and a route planning consultation.

In August 2023, Blue Bird already donated a Vision electric school bus to the Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation in Pittsburgh, Pa. The non-profit organization will turn the bus into a mobile computer lab to expand its digital literacy programs for both children and adults in low-income communities.

Blue Bird is the only U.S.-owned and operated school bus manufacturer in the United States. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 1,500 electric-powered buses in operation today. Blue Bird manufactures its school buses in Fort Valley, Ga. The shift to clean student transportation helps Blue Bird sustain approximately 2,000 good-paying jobs.

About Blue Bird Corporation

Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. Blue Bird buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – the majority of 25 million children twice a day – making us the most trusted brand in the industry. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 20,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses in operation today. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird's complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

About Peach County Schools

Peach County School System was created on January 1, 1925. The school system is composed of three elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and one Academy with a current enrollment of more than 4,000 students. “What Matters Most” is to graduate college and career-ready students who are learning today and leading tomorrow. We believe all students should have the opportunity to reach their full potential through high expectations and an appropriate challenging career path. To learn more, visit www.peachschools.org.