Executive Director Visits Tulsa Bus Plant

Tulsa, OK March 21, 2011 - What needs 5.7 gallons of paint, 5600 rivets, and 4.9 miles of wire?  ONE BIG YELLOW SCHOOL BUS!  Executive Director Melissa Howell discovered this during her visit to the International School Bus Production Plant where hybrid electric buses for Kentucky school districts are being manufactured.  

"Seven hybrid electric buses will be on the assembly line next week there and then headed for Kentucky to join school fleets here.  Approximately 20 more will come off the line in late April," said Grant Pick, Tulsa Bus Plant Manager.

The plant stretches on for an entire mile, which is used for manual assembly as there are no robots in the plant. Each bus is assembled with the personal attention of human hands from start to finish.

"It is not often that you get to see a project of this scope from concept to reality. Now we get started on curriculum!" said Howell.

The hybrid buses were purchased with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.  The Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition is making preparations to collect and analyze data once the buses are in circulation across the state.