IC Bus Awarded School Bus Contract by Franklin Schools In Alabama

Lisle, Ill.-based IC Bus will provide 44 CE Series propane school buses to Franklin County Schools in Alabama under a contract award. The buses will have Power Solutions International’s (PSI; Wood Dale, Ill.) 8.8-liter LP engine. Purpose-built for the school bus industry, the CE Series with a PSI propane engine is designed to provide diesel performance with higher torque at lower engine speeds.

“IC Bus is honored to partner with Southland International Trucks in providing Franklin County Schools environmentally friendly, reliable, and safe transportation,” said IC Bus vice president and general manager Trish Reed. “We are seeing strong sales of our propane-powered school buses throughout the country and this sale is another example of continued interest in our alternative powertrains to transport students to and from school.”

The manufacturer notes its buses’ high-torque, low-speed design benefits stop-and-start applications to allow immediate acceleration after stops and greater hill-climbing capability.

This not only improves starting and climbing, but also eliminates excessive noise, heat, and vibration associated with constant engine revving. The vehicles are built at the IC Bus assembly plant in Tulsa. Deliveries will start this summer and will be complete in time for

back-to-school transport in the 2018-2019 school year.

“We chose IC Bus propane buses for our school transportation needs because we’ve done business with Southland International Trucks for a long time and we trust them to be our partner in providing products and service,” said Franklin County Schools’ assistant superintendent Donald Borden. “We’re pleased to partner with IC Bus as these new propane buses will improve our community environmentally, while also reducing our operating costs.”