Hybrid Electric School Buses Take to the Road in Jefferson County

Whayne Supply President Monty Boyd, Brooke Pardue (Office of Congressman John Yarmuth),
Rick Capel (JCPS), JCPS Superintendent Sheldon Berman, Barry Zink (Whayne Supply & KCFC Board Member),
John Ackerman (JCPS),  Mike Mulheirn (JCPS & KCFC Board Member), and Frank Lewis, (VP Whayne Supply)
 took part in the celebration to bring 16 hybrid electric school buses to the largest school system in Kentucky.

Louisville, KY April 22, 2011 – Sixteen new hybrid electric school buses capable of improving fuel efficiency an average of 35% or, from 7 to 11 mpg have joined the fleet of 1100 traditional school buses in Jefferson County. Sixteen more hybrid school buses are scheduled to join Jefferson County’s fleet in the coming months.

The hybrid electric school buses, manufactured by Thomas Built Buses with the Eaton Hybrid System, were delivered on April 22^nd at 11:00 in front of Whayne Supply. The keys to the new hybrid electric school buses were presented to Superintendent Sheldon Berman by Frank Lewis, Vice President of Whayne Supply.

Kentucky will have the distinction of having the largest hybrid electric school bus fleet in the nation. Jefferson County is one of the 30 districts awarded a share of the $13 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, adding a total of 213 hybrid electric vehicles to public school fleets across Kentucky. At approximately $150,000 per vehicle, hybrid electric school buses cost twice as much as traditional school buses. The grant offsets the differential costs for local districts.

“We are encouraging school systems throughout the state to improve efficiency while being environmentally conscious,” says Commissioner Terry Holliday with the Kentucky Department of Education. “The new technology will also provide learning opportunities for students on real-world issues like fuel consumption, air quality and transportation costs.”

The Hybrid Horsepower for Kentucky Schools program is a collaborative effort between the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition (KCFC) and the Kentucky Department of Education. Performance data for these hybrid electric school buses will be gathered by KCFC, a non-profit organization.

“Kentucky students will be interactive participants in the hybrid electric school bus project,” says Melissa M. Howell, Executive Director of KCFC. “KCFC plans to engage students through on-site energy teams that include teachers, students, administrators and local communities,” adds Howell.