Flint Transit Order Marks Largest Commercial Rollout

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The recent delivery of 16 alternative fuel buses to the Flint, Mich. Mass Transportation Agency signals the largest rollout of Blue Bird Corp.’s propane Vision buses for commercial use. According to Flint MTA, the new buses will cut costs, reduce emissions, and allow the agency to take advantage of a domestically produced fuel. Compared with the diesel buses they replaced, each new bus will reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 800 pounds a year and particulate matter by 35 pounds.

“Blue Bird propane Vision buses allow Flint to provide green, affordable public transportation while saving taxpayer dollars,” said Ed Benning, general manager and CEO of the Flint Mass Transportation Agency. Flint MTA purchased the buses with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding. The FTA New Model Bus Testing Program, known as Altoona testing, rates new buses on safety, structural integrity and durability, reliability, performance,
maintainability, noise, and fuel economy.

“These federal funds cover 80% of the alternative fuel vehicle cost, with a 20% local match,” Benning explained. “The MTA worked closely with Blue Bird to Altoona test the bus, an outcome that will benefit all transit agencies that acquire these buses.” “This rollout signals an expansion for Blue Bird into the transit bus market,” added Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue Bird Corp. “We’re bringing decades of experience in school buses and expertise in affordable, alternative fuel buses to transit agencies and public transportation riders.”

The commercial version of the Blue Bird propane Vision, which comes with a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty, is Altoona test rated for 350,000 miles or 10 years. Each 39-seat bus is equipped with a 6.8-liter Ford engine, a Roush CleanTech fuel system, and a 100-gallon fuel tank. “In the few months since the MTA started using these buses they are achieving a 325-mile range per tank,” Benning said. “They were purchased as commercial buses and upfitted as public transit buses with transit windows, seating, and two wheelchair positions. In addition to providing cleaner operations, the propane autogas-fueled, medium-duty buses cost only one-third of the price of heavy-duty transit buses, so they are an extremely cost-effective way to augment our transit bus fleet.”

Flint MTA locked in a yearlong rate of 75 cents per gallon for propane autogas, which helps the agency budget fuel costs. With the current federal alternative fuel tax credit, the agency’s per-gallon cost is 39 cents. Flint MTA averages 20,000 miles per month on the buses, using them for six hours a day during peak service route times.

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