Hybrid School Bus Joins Fleet in Bardstown

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(Bardstown, KY) August 23, 2011 - Bardstown Independent Schools in Bardstown, Ky. took delivery of their first new hybrid electric school bus last week, and expect to reap fuel savings benefits throughout the new school year and beyond.
“We want to do our part and help with air quality, and we saw based on some preliminary fuel mileage savings reports how the hybrid bus could be a benefit to us,” says Transportation Director Todd Hood. 
The new bus, manufactured by International Bus, was delivered to Superintendent Brent Holsclaw and other school representatives on Friday.  District bus drivers, mechanics, and first responders were all trained highlighting best operational practices for the hybrid-electric system. 
The bus uses an Eaton Hybrid System, a regenerative system that puts power back into the hybrid battery when the driver applies the brake.  Stop and start routes that generally do not exceed 50 mph provide the best performance for the hybrid system.  Hybrid electric buses already in operation across the state are seeing 30% or greater fuel savings. 
Mr. Hood reports that, as long as the hybrid bus meets district needs, it is likely Bardstown Independent Schools will purchase additional hybrid buses as part of future bus procurement plans.  The new hybrid bus is one of twenty school buses in the district.
Thirty-two school districts across Kentucky currently operate 125 hybrid electric buses. Kentucky is home to the largest hybrid electric school bus fleet in the nation.  Over 200 hybrid buses will be purchased with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy awarded in December 2009. 
Performance data for these hybrid school buses is being gathered by the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition, a non-profit organization that administers the grant with the Kentucky Department of Education.
Find data at http://www.kentuckycleanfuels.org/.