‘Our distribution strategy has been to partner with the best-in-class vehicle providers,’ said Scott Harrison, Azure Dynamics chief executive officer. ‘Collins is the clear leader in the Type A School Bus market and has over 70 dealers throughout the United States and Canada. Collins is aggressively supporting the NEXBUS with our Balance(TM) Hybrid Electric technology which is a clear indication that the product fulfills the customer’s need and is poised to extend Azure’s momentum into the school bus market.’
NAPA was a likely recipient of the first bus based on its long history of advanced technology and alternative fuel / energy adoption. The district has won numerous environmental awards including the first ever School Transportation News ‘Green Fleet Award’ in 2008.
‘We operate a number of Type A buses. Until now, those buses have all been diesel because there just weren’t alternative energy options in the class,’ said Ralph Knight, NAPA’s director of transportation. ‘We’ve only recently taken possession of the NEXBUS, but we’re already impressed. We like the availability of variable seating to accommodate up to three wheelchair positions and we’re eager to reap the operational cost and environmental benefits.’
NAPA plans to put the NEXBUS in use for special needs transportation where it will have a busy schedule and the district can realize the full benefits of the technology. ‘NAPA has previous experience with Azure technology when we used Solectria’s (Azure’s predecessor company) full electric drive technology on a larger bus. That bus ran for three and a half years without a single down day, so we’re hoping for similar success this time around,’ said Knight.
Collins Bus has promoted the NEXBUS including at the recent School Transportation News expo in Reno, Nevada where two of the vehicles were shown with one bus offering ride and drive experiences to dozens of interested school fleet managers. Additionally, the NEXBUS is the subject of a Collins Bus advertising campaign entitled, Yellow Goes Green.
Kent Tyler, president of Collins Bus said, ‘If the response we received at the STN show in Reno is any indication, then we have a real winner on our hands with the NEXBUS. Azure Dynamics’s balance hybrid electric technology makes all the sense in the world for Type A buses and we’re excited to bring this first offering to the school market.’
The partnership with Azure Dynamics allows Collins Bus to offer the proprietary balance hybrid electric drivetrain as an option on school buses built on Ford’s E-450 chassis. School buses typically have frequent starts and stops and significant idle time picking up and dropping off children and while waiting in the queue. The Azure Dynamics technology will help to significantly reduce fuel usage and emissions under these conditions.
Collins Bus sells buses under both the Collins and Mid Bus brands in the US and as Corbeil in Canada. The company has a developed network of distributors that serve its key markets and customers. The Azure Dynamics technology has undergone significant durability testing to be eligible for school bus programs.
The bus was delivered via A-Z Bus Sales, Inc in Colton, California. NAPA received funding support from Prop 1B and from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Collins Bus is a US-based builder of Type A school buses and the manufacturer capable of producing a school bus certified hybrid.
