November 9, 2023, Downsville, NY – Leonard Bus Sales announced today that they
have delivered their first all-electric CE Series school bus from IC Bus to Downsville Central
School District.
Downsville Central School District was one of almost 400 school districts from across
the country that received grants to purchase new zero or low emission school buses.
Downsville applied for and received $395,000 from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program,
$375,000 which will go toward purchasing the school bus and $20,000 will help offset
some of the costs associated with the vehicle charger and required infrastructure
improvements at the school.
“We couldn’t be happier to deliver our first electric IC Bus school bus to Downsville
Central School District,” said Leonard Bus Sales President, Jon Leonard. “There’s a lot to
consider when purchasing an all-electric school bus and the folks at Downsville did a
tremendous job in planning and making an informed decision. It’s exciting to think their
students will soon be riding a brand new state-of-the-art electric school bus.”
Downsville Central School District worked closely with the experts at Leonard Bus
Sales and Cornice Technology – their electrification partner – throughout the process to help
them plan and make an informed decision.
Leonard Bus Sales and Cornice provided comprehensive project assessment and
guidance to the school district including fleet operational requirements, school bus and
charger acquisition, utility needs, and staff training. Together, Leonard Bus Sales and
Cornice Technology were able to make it easy for the Downsville Central School District to
introduce their first all-electric school bus into their fleet.
While Downsville Central School District chose to submit their own application for
EPA funds, Leonard Bus Sales has secured upwards of $6.6 million in federal grants for
other school districts across the state through the Environmental Protection Agency since
last November. The grants secured by Leonard Bus Sales will go toward purchasing 17 new
electric school buses. And with the recent announcement that New York State will release
$100 million in funding for electric school buses, Leonard Bus Sales is looking forward to
helping more school districts across the state with their electrification transition.
“New York state’s first in the nation transition to an all-electric school bus fleet is a
major transformation in how schools transport students, so it’s important that we assist our
school district partners with the challenges that come with such a monumental change,”
said Leonard. “School districts will need help with planning for new infrastructure, charging
stations, school bus routes, vehicle acquisition, training, maintenance, and navigating the
ever growing federal and state grant opportunities.”
Beginning in 2027, New York State law requires school districts to purchase all-
electric school buses and fully transition their fleets to all-electric by 2035.
The IC Bus all-electric school bus is quieter than a conventionally powered bus,
produces zero pipe emissions, and has three levels of selectable regenerative braking for a
smoother ride and increased battery efficiency. The bus comes standard with alternating
current (AC) and direct current fast charging (DCFC) readiness, a state-of-the-art digital
instrument cluster, and has the largest battery configuration available on the market.
The IC Bus school bus seats up to 77 passengers and comes filled with the latest safety features.
Photo of Downsville Central School’s all-electric CE Series IC Bus
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Downsville Central School District is located in Downsville, NY. The district provides K-12
educational opportunities for more than 200 students and is dedicated to providing high
quality programs preparing all students to become responsible citizens, productive workers,
and lifelong learners. www.dcseagles.org
Leonard Bus Sales, Inc. is owned and operated by the Leonard family, a recognized leader in
the distribution and support of quality, environmentally friendly school buses. A third-
generation family-owned business, Leonard Bus Sales has been providing cost-saving fleet
management services and award-winning customer support for over fifty years. Leonard
Bus Sales is a leading distributor of IC BusTM brand buses in Upstate New York, distributes
Trans Tech Type-A school buses and GreenPower buses throughout New York. The company
operates full-service facilities in Bergen, Deposit, Middletown, Rome, and Saratoga
Springs.