Our Saf-T-Liner® C2 Jouley® electric school bus was the first electric bus to run a route in the state of Indiana this past January, and even more electric school buses are on the way.
To learn more about Monroe County Community School’s experience with Indiana’s first electric school bus, we interviewed Nathan Oliver, director of transportation for Monroe County Community School Corporation in Bloomington, Indiana.
Here are some insights on his experience with Jouley:
- What led your district to choose electric?
Electric has worked out great for us. We wanted to replace some of our older school buses with a cleaner alternative. While we originally thought about transitioning to propane school buses, we found that even though electric school buses were more expensive than propane, in terms of infrastructure – electric infrastructure was a lot easier to implement. With all of the benefits of electric school buses, you really can’t go wrong.
- Why did you choose Jouley and what has been your experience so far?
We researched electric school buses for 18 months. During that time, we went on ride and drives and researched a number of electric school buses. Here’s why we chose Thomas Built Buses Jouley electric school bus:
- All-weather durability
Since Thomas Built Buses has heating and cooling lines in the battery pack to maintain temperatures, we don’t need a bus barn. Our electric school buses sat outside in temperatures below zero and we had no problems with charging or performance at all. Additionally, the kids don’t complain about heat on the bus. Even in extreme temperatures the bus performed very well.
- Zero-emissions
Another key advantage to Jouley is the decreased emissions. In just 46 days, we avoided 6.5 tons of CO2 emissions and saved 275 gallons of diesel with just one electric school bus. That means that in one school year, we could potentially reduce CO2 by 27 tons and save 1,080 gallons of diesel for one bus. Zero emissions is huge. Thomas Built Buses’ electric school buses are leaps and bounds ahead of the competition because you don’t have to rely on diesel or propane heaters or engine block heaters. Our buses can run 100% on electric, resulting in zero emissions.
- Enclosed battery packs
One thing that we really liked about Thomas Built’s electric buses is that their battery packs are completely sealed off and enclosed, unlike some of the other electric school buses on the market. Since our city crews use pure salt in Monroe when it snows, an exposed battery pack would easily corrode. An enclosed battery pack that self-regulates internal temperatures was crucial for us, and Thomas Built Buses delivered.
- Longest range
The standard operating range of Thomas Built Buses’ electric school buses is best-in-class and works very well for our needs. We typically drive 25 – 30 routed miles per morning, and 75 miles per day including deadhead. We usually run the bus in the morning, charge it in the middle of the day, then complete our afternoon route. We don’t charge the bus overnight.
So far we’ve put 1,928 miles on the bus and we are so thrilled with the range. Starting in the fall, we hope to use the Jouley electric bus for extracurricular activities within 40 miles. We are eager to see our trip mileage on-highway vs. in town and also get more usage out of the bus in general.
- Lower TCO
In general, I noticed that the total cost of ownership of my entire fleet has gone down since I started adding Thomas Built buses in general. I hope to see the same decrease in total cost of ownership overtime as we incorporate even more electric school buses. So far, we are seeing an average savings of $15.53 a day in electricity vs. diesel fuel, plus we save on maintenance costs by not needing oil filters, etc. Over time, those numbers will surely add up.
- Great warranty and dealer support
Across the board, Thomas Built Buses has a great warranty and we wanted to be sure that we could trust the brand and their warranty with a brand-new product like Jouley. Thomas Built’s warranty is leaps and bounds above the rest by covering the battery and the powertrain. Plus, we have a great relationship with our Thomas Built dealer and feel confident that we can rely on them at any time. Kerlin Bus Sales has always been there for us and they made the job to switching to electric easier.
- Everyone loves Jouley
Finally, I’d just like to say that everyone loves our Jouley bus. All of our drivers love their Thomas Built diesel C2’s, and the Jouley electric bus is no exception. Our driver loves driving it. And amazingly, the kids also love it too and show a sense of pride. The kids try to keep the bus clean and encourage their peers to keep it clean too. Plus, we’ve found that the kids aren’t as loud when they ride on the Jouley electric bus because they aren’t yelling over the engine.
Lastly, our school board and superintendent really like Jouley because of the positive impact that is has for our environment and also anticipated lower operating costs.
- With new electric buses in route and more on the way, what are your goals for the district?
Right now, we are applying for five more Jouley electric school buses, which will give us eight total. That will allow us to serve two elementary schools with 100% electric power. We hope to add even more electric buses to our fleet as the infrastructure improves.
We had a blast getting to know Nathan and can’t wait to see what the future holds for Monroe County Community School Corporation. For more information on our Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley, please contact your local Thomas Built Buses dealer or speak with an Electric Bus Authority consultant.
