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emissions by more than 80 percent than diesel school buses . Add to that , electric motors are quiet , allowing drivers to be able to communicate more easily with students onboard the bus , creating an overall safer ride . “ With over 50 years in the school bus industry , Collins Bus is committed to providing world-class safety and quality standards including innovation in electric school bus transportation ,” said Chris Hiebert , Vice president and general manager , Collins Bus . “ We are excited the Collins Type A All-Electric is now available for lease or finance through DATTCO .” “ DATTCO prides itself on being a leader in the industry , so we are excited to be one of the first dealerships in New England to offer this vehicle ,” said DATTCO President Don DeVivo . “ This is another step towards a future of alternative fuel in the school bus industry and a cleaner environment for everyone .” As a full-service dealership , DATTCO also provides preventative maintenance plans and a full line of OEM parts .
Thomas Built Buses opens ordering for OnGuardACTIVE Collision Mitigation System
Thomas Built Buses has announced that the WABCO OnGuardACTIVE collision mitigation system from ZF is now available as a factory-installed option for Saf-T-Liner C2 diesel school buses equipped with air disc brakes . OnGuardACTIVE is a radar-based collision mitigation system that enables collision warning , active braking , and adaptive cruise control . Using forward-looking long-range radar to detect objects up to 650 feet ahead of a school bus , the collision mitigation system provides audible , haptic , and visual warnings intended to alert drivers to possible obstructions . The system is designed to detect a potential rear-end collision without the driver taking action to decelerate , and to engage active braking to automatically throttle down the engine , and if necessary , to apply the foundation brakes to help avoid an impending collision . Similarly , the adaptive cruise control feature of the system utilizes the same radar to assist drivers in maintaining a safe following distance . The system maintains the set cruising speed when the lane ahead is clear and is designed to automatically adjust the speed to maintain a set time interval between the bus and other vehicles ahead . “ We are pleased to now offer the OnGuardACTIVE collision mitigation system on our Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses ,” said Caley Edgerly , president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses . “ This advanced technology further enhances the safety of our buses and provides drivers added peace of mind .” In addition to state-of-the-art safety features , the OnGuardACTIVE system can also be seamlessly integrated into telematics and monitoring systems so fleet managers can gain additional perspective on driving performance . Upon delivery , fleet managers and drivers will receive tailored driver training to better understand the system ’ s capabilities . While OnGuardACTIVE is designed to help drivers mitigate collisions , this technology does not replace the need for safe drivers practicing safe driving habits . To reduce potential danger of injuries caused during OnGuard activated vehicle decelerations , the driver and front passengers should always be correctly seated with seat belts correctly fastened .
ROUSH CleanTech ’ s 7.3L engine
Blue Bird starts production of updated buses with exclusive Ford 7.3L V8 engine
This spring , Blue Bird will begin production of its propane and gasoline Vision school buses integrating Ford ’ s all-new 7.3L V8 engine and a purpose-built fuel system designed specifically for school-bus application . The advanced fuel system technology was developed by ROUSH CleanTech , the same company that has manufactured over 30,000 propane and gasoline fuel systems for Blue Bird buses equipped with Ford ’ s 6.8L engine . The 2022 Blue Bird Vision with the propane and gasoline 7.3L engine features best-in-class combination of horsepower and torque . In addition , the compact and lighter-weight 7.3L engine should achieve improved fuel economy over the 6.8L engine . “ The exclusive partnership between Blue Bird , ROUSH CleanTech and Ford continues to flourish as we launch Ford ’ s new engine with cutting-edge fuel systems in our Vision and Micro Bird school buses ,” said Phil Horlock , president and CEO of Blue Bird Corporation . “ We ’ ve already heard excitement from our customers about this compact , more powerful and easier-to-maintain engine with better fuel economy .” In addition to the all-new engine , the new propane and gasoline Vision incorporate newly engineered routing of the wiring and fuel lines , centered between the frame rails for improved quality , simplicity of maintenance and product longevity . A newly designed grille also brings a fresh face to a familiar brand . Ford ’ s new 350-horsepower 7.3L engine is narrower than the previous 6.8L , allowing more room for service work . Innovations for the fuel system , known as Gen 5 , include stronger and lighter forged fuel rails and unique routing that keeps the engine-fuel distribution well organized . The system benefits from all of Ford ’ s performance and quality characteristics , such as horsepower , torque and towing , while maintaining the outstanding OEM factory warranty . “ Backed by 45 years of Roush engineering , the Gen 5 is the next advancement in powertrain technology , delivering lots of power in a smaller package ,” said Todd Mouw , president of ROUSH
10 | SCHOOL-BUSRIDE . COM | FEBRUARY 2021