Athens city schools first to introduce electric buses in Tennessee

ATHENS, Tenn. (WDEF) —  Athens City Schools are the first school system in Tennessee to introduce electric school buses.

The school system received five of these buses delivered by the EPA Clean School Bus Program.

“Athens City Schools stands as a pioneering force as they enter the electric bus business and are blazing a path for not only themselves, but for other school districts and operators in Tennessee and across the country.  Thank you to Athens City Schools for your partnership as we move the needle in school transportation once again for a school experience for our children and theirs.” stated General Manager of Mid-South Bus Center, Steve Benefield.

The new SAF-T-LINER® C2 Jouley Electric School Bus has many features such as:

● Lowest and most stable operating cost of any vehicle

● Charges in two to three hours at a DC charging station

● Includes specialized battery packaging for increased safety

● Has up to 149-mile operating range

● Built with up to 246 kWh power

“We at Athens City Schools strive for the very best for our students, bus drivers, staff and community.  We are excited to be the first school system in Tennessee to receive Thomas EV buses under the Clean School Bus Program and know this will equip and serve our school system as we drive into the future,” said Joe Barnett, Athens City Schools Director of Schools.

Implementing electric school buses has been proven to decrease emissions, making them a more eco-friendly way of transportation in ways such as:

● Low daily mileage

● Predictable, planned routes

● Health benefits for students and community

● Downtime between routes allowing for midday charging if needed

● Ability to provide power back to grid during peak times