The IKM-Manning School District invites the public to view their first, all-electric school bus at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday). The Blue Bird Vision electric bus was delivered to the district in September of this year and started operating on a rural route in November, traveling around 75 miles daily. The district chose to add the electric bus to provide cleaner, emissions-free transportation for the students. Superintendent Trevor Miller says, “This Blue Bird bus will significantly improve the air quality for the students and communities in which it drives. We decided we were ready to try out the electric bus for ourselves, marking another way our district invests in our students and the community.” The bus was funded through a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in which Blue Bird assisted with the grant application. In addition to creating a cleaner air environment for the community, President at Blue Bird Corporation Britton Smith said, “IKM-Manning CSD will see cost savings with its new Blue Bird electric school bus. It won’t have to deal with costly maintenance associated with diesel buses.” The bus is charged through an InCharge ICE-60, DC fast charger, and can run a range of about 120 miles. If interested in learning more about the bus, a tour of the bus will be given at the open house tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10 a.m. in the IKM-Manning High School parking lot.
