BIG & YELLOW & GREEN IN SOCAL

Ventura gets first plug-in hybrid electric school bus in Southern California; The Ventura Unified School District will put the $200,000, state-of-the-art bus into service this week. It's expected to achieve 30% better fuel economy than a conventional bus.
Jerry Hirsch, January 27, 2010 (LA Times)

(Thanks to Rick Cole, Ventura City Manager and city planning visionary, for the tip on this story.)

"Major automakers are readying a wave of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles for consumers, but one local school district is already taking advantage of the technology.

"The Ventura Unified School District unveiled a $200,000, state-of-the-art, plug-in hybrid electric school bus…the first in Southern California…[which] replaces a polluting, 1977 model."

click to enlarge

"The bus, built by the IC Bus subsidiary of Navistar Inc., is powered by a lithium ion battery pack and is expected to improve fuel economy up to 30% and reduce emissions up to 40% over a conventional gasoline-powered school bus.

"Michael Chiacos, transportation specialist with the Community Environmental Council in Santa Barbara, believes the bus will do even better, improving fuel economy more than 60% compared with a traditional school bus…"

And buses. (click to enlarge)

"The bus comes to the district through a nationwide initiative called the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus Project. The Community Environmental Council applied for funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District…"

[Michael Chiacos, transportation specialist with the Community Environmental Council:] "While school buses are first to the market, consumer plug-in hybrid cars will soon be available from many manufacturers…Plug-in hybrids and electric cars are the largest revolution in a century of vehicles…[and] will help us transition to a future free from dependence on imported fossil fuels."