Diesel is the predominant technology powering public transit, school, and intercity bus services nationwide because of its safety, reliability, efficiency, durability, and now near-zero emissions.
People Also Ask
(Jan. 19, 2021) — 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.
Class-Leading Support. Cummins-powered buses are backed by the largest and most capable parts and service network in North America, with over 3,500 locations.
Propulsion. The most common power source since the 1920s has been the diesel engine. Early buses, known as trolleybuses, were powered by electricity supplied from overhead lines.
Buses and trucks generally use a 6 cylinder in-line diesel engine and using a turbocharger can improve the thermal efficiency of the engine and also can control the emission level to an extent. Though old buses are not equipped with turbocharger the buses manufactured nowadays are fitted with a turbocharger.
Over the long haul, newer diesel engines will last 15-20 years in a fleet, while a gasoline engine may need to be replaced once or even twice during the life of a school bus. “All of these are important for fleet managers to stop and consider when choosing a new school bus,” says Hedgecock.
My rule of thumb when I was shopping for a bus was a well maintained gas bus with under 100,000 miles or a well maintained diesel bus with under 200,000. In theory, a well maintained diesel engine can practically run forever. I drive city buses. They often have multiple million miles before they retire them.
It depends on the vehicle's gas tank size and fuel economy. If a school bus had an 80-gallon tank and operated with a fuel economy of about 6 miles per gallon, it could travel about 480 miles. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average school bus travels 12,000 miles per year 4.
Executive buses average 6 miles per gallon, especially when it comes to larger models that carry 45 to 51 passengers. Newer, high-tech models may get up to 10 to 12 miles per gallon. The larger the bus, the lower the average mileage.
Diesel school buses are already the most fuel-efficient in the industry, due to a higher BTU count compared to other fuels, providing better fuel economy and a longer operating range compared to similar-sized gasoline, propane or compressed natural gas (CNG) engines.
School busses are based on diesel or gasoline internal combustion engines for the most part and have 12VDC (or maybe 24VDC as used in larger trucks) systems for starter and lighting.
If you're short on time, here's a quick answer to your question: school buses are regulated by states to not exceed 55-65 mph depending on the type of bus. Their governors generally limit maximum speed to between 65-78 mph. In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about school bus speeds.