Thomas Built Buses delivers 1,000th electric bus

Left to right: Benny Long (Peach State Truck Centers), Mickie Samper (MCSS Transportation Director), Robert Griffin (MCSS superintendent) and Eddie Shaw (MCSS bus driver) in front of the 1,000th Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric bus from Thomas Built Buses delivered by Peach State Truck Centers. (Photo: Daimler Truck)

Thomas Built Buses, a manufacturer of school buses in North America, said it has delivered its 1,000th Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley battery-electric school bus. The milestone bus was delivered to Meriwether County School System (MCSS) in Georgia as part of a larger order.

“We’re proud to support MCSS in pioneering the electrification of school buses in the state of Georgia,” said Gary Carlisle, a representative for Peach State Truck Centers. “Their new Jouley fleet will provide MCSS with reduced maintenance costs and reduced fuel costs while showcasing our commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future for our students and our community.”

In total, the district received eight Jouley electric school buses, with full funding provided through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus (CSB) grant program. The new buses, which are going to Manchester High and Greenville Middle High, will serve as replacements for some of the district’s current fleet of 46 diesel school buses. The Jouley school buses will reportedly be the first electric buses in MCSS’s operations, benefiting the 2,400 pre-K through 12th-grade students enrolled in the district.

“Being a part of this milestone is an honor,” said Robert Griffin, superintendent for MCSS. “As a district, we strive to be forward-thinking while providing the best experience for both students and bus drivers. Jouley was a natural choice because of the available long-term battery energy, access to fast DC charging and safety-first construction.”

As of this release, all eight of the electric school buses from Thomas Built have been delivered to the district by dealer Peach State Truck Center. The district has applied for four more through CSB.

“We applaud Meriwether County for being leaders in the introduction of electric school buses into the state of Georgia and couldn’t be happier to have the 1,000th Jouley play a role in a cleaner future for their students,” said Kevin Bangston, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “We will continue to partner with districts in leading the way towards an electric school bus future.”