Companies show off electric powered school bus

Some manufacturers and dealers are getting ahead of the game in the auto industry, producing what some say is the future in commuting, but what about the schools?

An electric-powered school bus was on display at the Marriot in Gulfport today.

Check out this school bus. Functionally, it’s just like all the others – but the main difference starts here, where it doesn’t have an exhaust pipe.

Waters Trucking and IC Bus were at the Marriott today showing off the future of student transportation: The electric-powered bus, paving a more sustainable road for our environment.

Kelvin Gibson, who test-drove the marketing model, says that’s especially important when dealing with young minds. “You talk about a school district, you talk about children and the future that we have for our society, so why not contribute, and along the way teach, and be an example?”

The interior is slick and modern, and Gibson says it’s a smooth ride. It does have a slight disadvantage to diesel fueled buses in that the battery won’t last on longer bus routes or faraway field trips. IC Bus Regional Sales Manager Bob Ford said, “The battery technology is still emerging and growing, and as it evolves, we’ll get vehicles that go the longer range. It’s the right product for school districts.”

All a school district needs to do is apply for a grant to add the electric-powered bus to its fleet. The reps at IC Bus say they might as well, because the money is going somewhere. The Jackson County School District already has an application in the works.  “I just see that over time, it would be something of the norm, and it won’t be anything that’s scary anymore, because we’ll have a lot of help putting in the infrastructure.”