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IC Bus Wins North Carolina Contract

Several weeks ago, we wrote in this space about the possibility of Blue Bird grabbing the North Carolina yellow school bus contract and shutting out local company Thomas Built Buses. Strike that, as IC Bus ended up the low bidder and winning the lucrative contract for nearly 900 new Type C buses.

Local North Carolina residents are sure to be unhappy, as there were press reports last month detailing the public outrcry before the contract was even finalized. Several media outlets quoted residents who were perplexed that Thomas of High Point would not be keeping the business in state especially in light of the economy and skyrocketing unemployment.

At that time, Blue Bird looked like it would win as it was the low bidder, a state requirement for awarding such bids. But a spokesman at the North Carolina Office of Public Instruction said Blue Bird retracted its proposal apparently after discovering some internal errors in calculations that procluded the company from actually meeting the price it quoted the state. That left IC Bus as the new low bidder, and with that the deal for the close to 900 CE Series school buses was inked.

However, Blue Bird did win a multi-award contract for activity buses along with IC Bus, though the exact number of buses is unknown because those purchases are up to local districts. But, last month, John O’Leary, president at Thomas, >said last month that losing the North Carolina award would not translate into job losses at home, despite the fact the company has laid off about 400 workers in the past year due to the economy.

The IC win, meanwhile, also means the advanced EGR MaxxForce diesel engine makes it onto the state specification list for meeting upcoming 2010 EPA emissions requirements. Both Blue Bird and Thomas are meeting the standard with urea-based SCR Cummins engines.

In a statement, John McKinney, president of IC Bus, gave the credit to a local dealer for the contract win.

“The team from White’s International has a keen understanding of the needs of this customer. They helped demonstrate how IC Bus could be a partner to them during and after the sale.” McKinney commented.

North Carolina: Out with Thomas and in with Blue Bird?

By Ryan Gray

Though a final decision is pending, North Carolina appears to be set to award its 2010 bus bid to Blue Bird, marking an about face from a historic alliance with Thomas Built Buses. Not only is Thomas an in-state company but the way North Carolina's school bus specs were written called for items that Thomas was in the best position to provide, according to industry sources and Internet message boards.

North Carolina amended its bus specs in early September to make them more general to all three large bus manufacturers, with IC Bus rounding out that list. Thomas Built's president, John O'Leary, told local reporters this week that the development won't hurt the company's bottom line as 95 percent of bus sales occur out of state, anyway. As he told the local FOX News affiliate:

"We could've gone, ultimately, as low as Bluebird went. It would've been very irresponsible from our standpoint ... It's just getting down in the mud and wrestling around in that zero-profit game is not where we want to be."

Low bids are commonplace in the school bus industry, as schools nationwide must remain on constant watch to make sure they stay within if not under budget, especially in the current environment of no less than 48 states running deficits. But this represents an interesting turn of events, especially in light of published reports of struggles at Blue Bird's parent company Cerberus, which saw about half of its investors walk over the summer amid concerns over the company's position in the current marketplace and the decision to embrace a new hedge fund. Those that balked and walked reportedly took with them about $4 billion.

Blue Bird reps have said the company remains strong, but obviously the company seriously underbid its buses in comparison to what Thomas was able to offer for its C2 Saf-T-Liners. And the result is a backlash in North Carolina, where residents view the decision to contract with a Georgia-based company as a heretical move when state unemployment rates are hovering around 10.7 percent, one of the worst in the country. The local North Carolina FOX affiliate also reported that some Thomas workers were wondering aloud why the state doesn't require school systems to buy from in-state companies, since profits at North Carolina companies help keep workers employed. O'Leary said he understands that thinking, but points out he wouldn't want Georgia or Illinois to do the same thing. Plus, something that is not mentioned, Thomas uses many third-party suppliers for such things as mirrors that are manufactured out of state. So why should the actual bus be any different?

Proof in point that today's economy is making an already ultra-competitive school bus marketplace much more stiff.

Fatal Accident in Bus Barn Caused by Non-School Vehicle

By Lisa J. Hudson

Just as important but sometimes overlooked, the safety of school transportation employees is the subject of today's blog. The Houston Chronicle reports that yesterday's fatal accident at Lamar Consolidated Independent School District's bus barn occurred when a Federal Express delivery truck struck a school transportation employee. According to an account provided by the Rosenberg Police Department, the driver of the FedEx truck tried to leave the bus barn after making a delivery there and did not see the victim, Robert Judd Whitman, 61, of Fulshear. Police said Whitman was in the FedEx driver's “blind spot” as the driver traveled forward.

The incident raises safety concerns about the presence of non-school vehicles in school bus facilities. We want to hear from you: are non-school vehicles allowed to move about in your facilities? Are any special safety precautions taken when these vehicles arrive and depart?

Freightliner to Embark on Road Toward All-Electric Vehicles

While school buses are seemingly not part of the discussion — yet, anyay — Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, a subsidiary of Daimler and the provider of chassis for Thomas Built Buses, has inked a letter of intent with Enova Systems to meet the demand for all-electric commercial vehicles.

Using Enova’s 120kw and 90kw all-electric drive system (as opposed to the 25/80kw drive utilizes by IC Bus in its CE plug-in and regular hybrid school buses), Freightliner appears to be going after the UPS and FedEx parcel truck market, at least initially, as a press release on Enova’s Web site mentioned vehicles “including” the MT-45 walk-in chassis will be targeted. Those chassis have gross vehicle weight rating between 14,140 and 19,000 pounds and maximum payloads of 10,000 pounds

Thomas Built buses are generally built on the FB-45 commercial bus chassis for the Saf-T-Liner C2 and the MB-55 “Heavy Duty” Bus Chassis for the Saf-T-Liner EF and HDE Type D models. But the important piece of this news is simply that Freightliner is jumping both feet into the all-electric market. And it’s interesting that the press release is worded in a way that indicates other chassis might receive, either now or in the future, and electric drive. Does that include Thomas school buses?

Cost, of course, is a consideration as international corporations like UPS and FedEx can shoulder them, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth, for electric trucks much easier than schools can. Nevermind that all-electric buses, some say, are currently a bit cheaper than their hybrid cousins. But there are also the issues of electric offering the driving range needed by many school buses, especially those operating in rural areas and the reliability of batteries currently on the market. But the deal signals that federal investment in electric vehicles for R&D might be showing dividends. And in Thomas' case, it should be noted that VP of Engineering Herbert Mehnert used to run the hybrid program at Freightliner Custom Chassis.

Time will tell.

Collins Bus at Frontlines of Alternative Fuel Technology

By Ryan Gray

With recent statements made by school bus manufacturers that they expect an additional 20- to 30-percent downturn in school bus production this year amid the struggling economy, things seem to be looking up for Collins Bus Corporation. Today's news that company will be bringing to market a propane-powered Type A school bus represents the second first-ever moment for the nation's largest manufacturer of small school buses.

Earlier this year, Collins announced a deal with Azure Dynamics to produce the first-ever, straight-from-the-assembly-line hybrid electric drive train for a Type A school bus. Built for the Ford E-450 cutaway chassis, the NEXBUS hybrid runs on gasoline power and is already in use in Napa Valley (Calif.) Unified School District and at Durham School Services contracts in Rosemead, Calif., in the Los Angeles area.

Following no the heels of the NEXBUS is the yet named liquid propane Type A that company officials said will go into production this fall, likely as of Nov. 1 when the company begins its 2009-2010 production year. Certainly Collins has schematics drawn up, at least, as rumors of a propane-powered small school bus have been making the rounds for a couple of months. Up until now, the only straight-from-manufacturer propane school bus came in the form of Blue Bird's Type C Vision. Blue Bird also manufactures a Type A school bus, the Micro Bird, but so far the company has yet to say it has plans to transition the propane technology to a smaller load vehicle. And, for years, there has been propane conversion kit technology. But recent advances by Blue Bird in solving engine power issues and a partnership with propane distributor and infrastructure specialist CleanFUELS USA, which Collins is also working with, has made the alternative fuel more attractive to fleet owners, not to mention a 50 cent per gallon federal tax rebate and a big investment by the feds and some states.

Speaking of which, Collins is already concentrating on interested school district and private fleet customers in Texas, which has one of the largest propane infrastructures in the nation. The Lone Star state is receiving upwards of $25 million from U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities grants for new propane vehicles and fueling stations, plus California and New York. And the company has a dealer network of 70 to fall back on.

Amid buzz that GM could go the route of offering a hybrid electric diesel chassis for school buses, but nothing concrete yet, Collins certainly appears to be taking the reigns of the Type A alternative market.

A Link Between High-Performance Race Cars and School Buses?

Perhaps it's all a bit premature, but an intriguing concept was reported last week on Wired.com.

Ilmor Engineering of the U.K. and Plymouth, Mich., owned by Roger Penske, may be known to some as a leading manufacturer of engines for Formula-1 and IndyCar racing as well as high-performance marine racing. But the 25-year-old company is also hoping to revolutionize the combustion engine market amid the global green wave of hybrids. electrics and alternative fuels. It recently introduced a prototype gasoline five-stroke engine, a new take on its 125-year-old, four-stroke cousin.

It's an interesting development in a time when increased fuel economy and reduced emissions are on everyone's list of talking points. But the Ilmor five-stroke actually promises comparable output and fuel efficiency as a diesel engine minus 20 percent of a diesel engine's weight and the nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Ilmor also says the five-stroke is ready for tests and could be used in conjunction with a hybrid drive.

Says Wired:

...the technology is '100% conventional' [according to Ilmor] and doesn’t require any new manufacturing techniques.

Ilmor says that the prototype five-stroke engine, based on a design by Gerhard Schmitz, has an overall expansion ratio “approaching that of a diesel engine – in the region of 14.5:1.” Along with its light weight and relatively high output, the extra work done in the low pressure (LP) cylinder provides for better fuel economy.

“Running of the concept engine has produced impressive fuel consumption readings over a very wide operating range,” the company said in a statement. “This is because at the onset of knock a greater percentage of work can be extracted in the LP cylinder, giving a degree of self compensation.”

Navistar, Caterpillar to Build Trucks in China ... Are School Buses Far Behind?

The wires are rife with articles on an agreement reached between Navistar, Caterpillar and the Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Company to begin production next month on medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in China.

Caterpillar announced last year in a separate cooperative agreement with Navistar that it was leaving the U.S. domestic truck engine market, and in the process foregoing its own solution to the 2010 EPA emissions requirements. Instead, Cat is focusing on the construction vehicle market, and this week's agreement with Anhui Jianghuai will make it the largest construction vehicle manufacturer in that growing market.

Meanwhile, the deal with Anhui Jianghuai signals that Navistar is continuing to make inroads the global vehicle and in China, where total vehicle sales have surpassed thos in the U.S. during the first seven months of the year. Writes the Financial Times:

In the first seven months of this year, total vehicle sales rose 23 per cent in China to 7.2m, while it dropped 32 per cent to 5.8m during the same period in the US.

The venture is expected to be set up next month and focus on the production of medium and heavy duty trucks and engines.

It would utilise JAC’s existing production bases while deploying the capital and technology from its US partners. JAC said details of the joint venture would be released soon.

Navistar has also been working with Mahindra Mahindra since 2005 on manufacturing light-, medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks and buses in India and for export markets. In 2007, Navistar also began producing its advanced diesel engines for Mahindra and Mahindra's trucks and buses in India.

While there was no immediate word on if any of the agreement may parlay into the production of school buses, as Navistar owns IC Bus, there has been an uptick of interest in recent years by Asian-based manufacturing companies in North American school transportation trade shows.

Gooooooooal!

While Los Angeles Galaxy soccer star David Beckham has fallen out of favor with many fans after he temporarily left the team earlier this year to play for powerhouse AC Milan of the prestigious Italian League Serie A, we had to chuckle at a doctored photo we found on the Photoshop page at Worth1000.com.

Reads the creator's comments:

"After he didn´t score for the LA Galaxy, Beckham was fired but he got a new job as a school bus driver."

If you look closely at the patch on Beckham's right chest, it appears some lucky employee at Martinsville School District southeast of Indianapolis lent his body to one of the world's premier soccer players in the world. But I wonder what wife Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham would think about all of this.

Navistar Points to CARB Research to Back Up Claims Against SCR

Navistar, the parent company of IC Bus, has taken its fight against selective catalyst reduction and for advanced exhaust gas recirculation as the right choice for meeting upcoming EPA 2010 emissions requirements in lowering nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions at the tailpipe to no more than 0.2 grams. Currently, Navistar is suing the EPA in federal appeals court as it contends the feds by allowing SCR in its regulations will being increasing public health risks due to urea, the additive used in SCR to reduce NOx in the engine that has been used for the past two decades in Europe.

The aggressive marketing performed by Navistar this year has drawn criticism from many in automotive and fleet circles, such as Oliver Dixon's "Spiral of Dispair" article earlier this week on The World Trucks Blog at UK's www.roadtransport.com. But then, Navistar offered a rebuttal by claiming that a June letter penned by Bart Croes, chief of California Air Resources Board research, to the Health Effects Institute, a Boston nonprofit organization planning tests on 2010 engines, that said that the use of SCR represents a "large departure from conventional emission controls by introducing a liquid additive containing an organic form of nitrogen." According to MYETTNEWS.com, The letter goes on:

“Some toxic air contaminants that have been identified with SCR technology include hydrogen cyanide, cyanic acid, nitromethane, hydrazine, acrylonitrile, acrylamide, acetonitrile, and acetamide,” Croes wrote in his letter. “It is hoped that any exotic substances emitted from SCR technology will be at levels insignificant to exposure health effects.”

Although we are encouraged by findings to date, which suggest that the technology can deliver significant reductions of many species of toxicological relevance, this work has also documented the increase in some emissions such as some metals, nitrous oxide and nanoparticles.”

In the August issue of School Transportation News, contributor Bob Pudlewski writes that fleets must individually decide which technology best suits their needs, but either one has an increased price tag.

The debate rages on.

DIY: Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid?

It might not give step-by-step instructions for retrofitting your school bus, but a new book purports to tell readers how they, too, can create their own plug-in hybrid electric vehicle like the like the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid or the 2010 Toyota Prius.

Perhaps those especially savvy readers can even hold onto the hope that they might eventually be eligible for the next round of federal grants for electric battery and hybrid drive train development. Well, OK, probably not, especially as GreenCarReports.com editor John Voelker gives it less than a stellar review of Build Your Own Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle.

First of all, the book says it can help owners of hybrid vehicles convert them to PHEVs. The author is Seth Leitman, who last year coauthored an updated version of the classic Build Your Own Electric Vehicle. Voelker writes that the book is:

"...comprehensive but slightly disappointing. In part, that's because book publishing takes way too much time. The field of PHEVs is evolving so fast that you can only find truly up-to-date information online.

In particular, the book's list of conversion kits, sources, and background is now several months old. That's a lifetime for a technology whose members exchange information and collaborate to solve technical problems in online forums (eaa-phev is just one of many)."

The commercially-available hybrid diesel school bus currently on the market are from IC Bus, and Thomas Built Buses. IC Bus has both an PHEV and HEV, while Thomas has the latter. If this book review doesn't detract you, and you're the competitive entrepreneurial type, the book can be found on Amazon or in bookstores like Barnes & Noble.

UPDATE: A previous post made it sound like Thomas Built Buses was the only manufacturer with a hybrid school bus available to the market. We didn't mention IC Bus and its own plug-in and regular hybrid-electric models, which has been available the longest, since 2006, and currently has about few hundred in service nationwide. We regret the oversight, a big one.

Thomas Built Buses Dealers Gets in on Tech Competition Craze

We saw this story on a recent in-house competition for heavy-duty truck technicians held at Empire Truck Sales in Slidell, La. In addition to Thomas buses, the Jackson, Miss.-based dealership also specializes in heavy-duty trucks by Freightliner, Western Star and Sterling, as well as American LaFrance emergency vehicle.

The event held on July 25 calls to mind NAPT's annual America's Best School Bus Inspector & School Bus Inspector Training & Skills Competition, this year scheduled for Sept. 22-25 in Greenville, S.C., at Michelin.

CTO Responsible for MaxxForce Leaving Navistar

Automotive World reported yesterday that Dr. Helmut Endres is no longer with Navistar International Truck & Engine. Endres came to Navistar in 2006 and became chief technical officer and vice president of Powertrain Engineering, helping to develop and to design the company's MaxxForce engine line. Considered one of the world's leading He is one of the world’s leading authorities on diesel engines with a disciplined approach to design, validation, cost controls and product quality.

The magazine reported that Endres e-mail inbox is automatically replying to incoming messages by saying that he left the company this month.

Prior to coming to Navistar, Helmut worked for Volkswagon in Germany for a decade, leading a global team of 2,000 engineers. Among his accomplishments are the development of the high-performance V-10 TDI diesel engine in VW’s Touareg SUV and Phaeton luxury sedan, and the introduction of turbo-charged, direct-injection gasoline engines with low-fuel consumption as well as high power and torque.

The 'New GM' Out of Bankruptcy, Still Committed to School Bus Market

As the industry has been closely watching the demise of GM, there seems to be some good news coming out of Detroit: the automaker is remaining dedicated to its small school bus business as it was emerging bankruptcy sooner than expected. A company spokesman recently told STN that the commitment to manufacturing chassis for the school bus market has not changed [Look for this article in the August STN issue].

Going forward, the big purchasers of GM cutaway chassis on the Chevy Express and GMC Savana platforms are Girardin Minibus and Trans-Tech. Thomas Built Buses also uses some GM. But in filing for bankruptcy, GM was separated from Opel, the German manufacturer responsible for much of GM's diesel expertise dating back to 1929. What could that mean for the diesel business?

Competition is stiff elsewhere, too. As GM's works hard to keep its head above water, the sharks are circling. That's not necessarily in the best interest of the taxpayers, which now effectively own GM, but it could be an impetus to truly a "New GM," as the company is now calling itself.

Speaking of competition, Collins Bus Corporation announced earlier this spring that it is developing a Ford gasoline-hybrid, as the automaker has slowly but surely been leaving the diesel market. Collins Bus as well as its line of Mid Bus and Corbeil products, have also traditionally built bodies on GM chassis, so it will be interesting to see how the recent deal with Azure Dynamics to develop the gasoline hybrid drive train for Ford will play out. Then there's potential Type A chassis production capabilities at Daimler Truck/Freightliner for Thomas and Navistar for its IC Bus line.

Meanwhile, Girardin Minibus is publicly, at least, reaffirming its relationship with GM because the auto manufacturer is staying true to diesel engine technology, at least in theory. As reported in the July issue of STN, Girardin said it is eyeing a GM diesel-hybrid to compete with Collins' gas-hybrid, the latter expected to be unveiled this summer. GM retained it's two-mode diesel hybrid technology originally slated for the Saturn VUE. This same technology could fuel GM's SUV business, which could in turn have strong implications for the school bus industry.

CARB to Feds: Reinstate Hydrogen Funding

The Green Car Congress published an interesting blog indicating that, if the California Air Resources Board gets its way (which, on a separate note, it did today when the EPA granted a waiver enabling the state to enforce its own greenhouse gas emissions standard), hydrogen fuel cells may not be that far off after all. That is granted Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu's "four miracles" are performed by the scientific community.

Earlier this year, the Obama Administration unveiled its renewable fuel strategy for the next decade, but one alternative energy was blatantly missing: hydrogen fuel cells. Unsurprisingly, when the Department of Energy then released its fiscal year 2010 budget, the federal hydrogen fuel cell research and deployment budget was cut by more than two-thirds ($130 million), and funds were outright eliminated for the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle program and market transformation programs.

This all came not long after the DOE released in February its Fuel Cell School Buses: Report to Congress,” which cited a lack of fuel cell availability as a major obstacle to the technology being ready for the school bus market as well as high costs and questions about durability. DOE Secretary Steven Chu reiterated the basic findings of the study later to MIT Research magazine that "four miracles" needed to occur before hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would be considered viable in transportation, those being fuel cell durability and cost, hydrogen production, hydrogen storage and hydrogen distribution infrastructure.

But CARB recently weighed in on the subject with a visit paid to Chu by CARB Chair Mary Nichols to ask that the funding reinstated. CARB followed up with a letter to the DOE on June 19 highlighting how the issues of cost, production, storage and infrastructure could be solved.

Tweeters Meet mOblu-ers? The Latest in Social Networking for Gas Guzzlers

As fuel prices average at least $2.50 per gallon in every state except South Carolina, a new Web site combines a fuel tracker with a social networking tool by allowing motorists to track how much they spend at the pump and how much bang they get for their buck. Oh, and they can then tell the whole world about it on Twitter.

I recall the good old days when motorists would keep a fuel and maintenance log in their glove compartments and enter in their odometer reading at each fill-up as well as monitoring their car’s service needs. Today, meet mOblu.com. The free site, originating from a husband and wife team joined by a computer programmer and a software engineer from Canada, has been featured in recently in the New York Times, Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal as the latest fad for the technorati to chart their vehicle’s gas mileage.

But it does more than just log your trips. Enter a starting point and destination and it will tell you the amount of carbon monoxide produced, in addition to the amount of fuel used and the fuel cost based upon the price you most recently paid at the pump. Sounds similar to fleet software. But in your garage can you also calculate the carbon cost of your vehicle?

Right to Repair Act Designed to Help Chrysler, GM Customers

More and more automotive shops, obviously, are supporting the Right to Repair Act, which was introduced in the U.S. House in April to protect the ability of consumers to choose their own preferred mechanic to perform warranty work. This has never been more important than for owners of Chrysler and GM models.

Amid bankruptcy, both automakers have announced wide-scale closings of dealerships nationwide that perform the vast majority of warranty work. While Chrysler and GM have also said owners' warranties will remain valid through their expiration date regardless of where the vehicles were purchased -- and any necessary work can be performed at any certified mechanic's shop -- there is anxiety about having to drive many miles in rural areas to reach the next closest dealership certified to perform the work.

The Right to Repair Act would put it in writing that independent repair shops could compete for business previously guaranteed only to dealerships or dealer-contracted garages.

Are you worried about where you can take either your fleet or personal vehicle amid these dealership closings? Are you in a rural area where the closest dealership may be many miles away? Let us know what you think.

Power Steering Repair

On the School Bus Mechanic Blog, John takes a look at a Haldex Two Stage Power Steering Pump from a 1998 Pusher School Buses. Take a look and let us know what you think. Document your on repairs and discoveries to share on this blog and email Ryan@stnonline.com

Thomas Moving Towards an All-Electric?

Daimler AG, the parent company of Thomas Built Buses, has purchased a 10 percent stake in electric vehicle company Tesla Motors, according to a press release. The companies said they will cooperate on battery drive systems, electric drive systems and vehicle projects. Could this put Thomas closer to an all-electric school bus? Representatives from from Thomas weren't immediately available to answer. But for prognosticators and green bus enthusiasts there's some exciting potential.

Thomas is already working on a hybrid Saf-T-Liner C2. According to the release, Daimler and Tesla were also working together to integrate Tesla's lithium-ion battery packs and chargers into Daimler's electric smart car. The release goes on to note that Daimler just founded the Deutsche Accumotive GmbH, a joint venture with Evonik Industries AG, which makes the company "the first vehicle manufacturer worldwide that develops, produces and markets batteries for automotive applications.

Could a new all electric bus be far off?

The Bracket

The NAPT has launched a blog for its America's Best Tech Inspect competition. Check out the site to see the latest results from the regional competitions. Online now: links to stories about winners in Texas, Georgia, Iowa and more.