January 25, 2024

The original article appeared in The Sand Mountain Reporter on January 27, 2024. It is written by Mary Bailey.

Albertville City Schools held a reception Thursday to celebrate the school receiving $7.5 million toward the purchase of 19 new electric buses thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program.

ACS is the first in the county to receive the electric buses and they are also the biggest launch in the southeast.

The 19 electric buses will replace older diesel-modeled buses in the fleet. Electric school buses have fewer moving parts than traditional diesel buses, resulting in lower maintenance costs and you don’t have to fuel them.

Maintenance savings will be close to $10,000 each year, with another $40,000 estimated in yearly fuel savings. The new buses will generate an estimated $150,000 each year in fleet renewal funds for the next 10 years for Albertville City Schools.

As part of the rebate program, the system will scrap buses manufactured in 2010 or before. Buses manufactured after 2011 will be sold, which will generate additional income for the system.

While the school system had hoped the buses would arrive for the start of the 2024 school year, there were delays but buses are now being delivered.

So far, they have five of the 19 buses.

Albertville City Schools Superintendent Bart Reeves opened the ceremony.

“On behalf of the Albertville City Schools Board of Education we would like to extend a very warm welcome to each of you and thank you for being with us today. Your presence is greatly appreciated. Please know that we are truly honored that you are with us this afternoon. All of you please know that your dedication and service to not only our nation but also our state and our community are deeply, deeply appreciated so thank you for your service to our country and state,” Reeves said to the standing room only crowd.

“We also want to recognize and give a big, big thank you to our transportation department, including Mr. Jimmy Umphry, his staff and bus drivers. His staff ensures not only safety but efficient travel of our students daily. That’s a monumental task.

“I was talking to the bus drivers earlier this year, but you know they are the ones that truly set the tone for our kids each and every day, for most of our kids, the ones that are on the bus every day. That’s a huge responsibility getting them from point A to point B in the morning and then again in the afternoon. Of course, all of our drivers help with field trips and we appreciate everything you do for the kids of Albertville but please know that you are greatly appreciated.”

Reeves had many thanks to give for the success of the program.

“Chad Carpenter, and his staff from the state department who have dedicated their time to train me and contribute to the continuous improvements of our services and who are with us today. Folks from the state department, thank you for being with us,” he said.

“Thank our First Responders that are here today. They completed their training on the new buses earlier today. Please know that your commitment to the safety of our community does not go unnoticed. Our Albertville City Board of Education members, thank you. Thank you to MUB, they built the infrastructure for charging our new buses at no cost this past summer. This exemplifies the partnership with the school system and our companies here in Albertville. Again, please know that we greatly appreciate the partnership we have with you.”

Todd Watkins, assistant superintendent of ACS, was next to speak.

“I did want to take a little bit of time to time to talk about Jimmy and his department. I’ve been here about three and a half years or so and so during one of our very first conversations we were just brainstorming ideas and efficiency and his department. I just threw it out there, what about electric buses? Have we ever thought about something like that? The good thing about Jimmy and his maturity level and the fact that he has a vision is the incentive he took after that meeting.” Watkins said.

“He comes back within a week or so and says, hey Todd, here’s an option. He did all the groundwork, the background, and did the research. So, when we started talking about presenting this to the board as an option, I felt like it was important that he become the owner of everything because he’s the one that did all the work.

“Two, he can give the truth in value behind what we are doing because he’s there every day. He can talk about things that I can’t, like the safety components of an electric bus versus a diesel. So, he set up the board meeting and we did a Zoom meeting with a director out in California. He has from day one, he and his department have done all the research behind what we are enjoying today,” Watkins continued.

“I will say this, I came from a meeting about our new career tech center and the dynamic thing about what is going on here in the school district. It is a change that goes all the way down to the student and their families. We are becoming almost the hub to look to for innovation and education, not only that but the city partnership and the things the city has done, to what we are about to start offering with career tech and the innovation of putting together a fleet of vehicles that the EPA has supported and been behind. I think that’s a wonderful message to send to the rest of the state and the southeast that things here in Sand Mountain, Albertville City specifically, are amazing. People come here to see what we’re doing because we are doing some pretty amazing things. It can start in a small area like this. I’m a firm believer in it because I’ve seen it. I’ve been in small districts where innovative things happen and that starts sparking a lot of different things in the community. All the partnerships and industries want to be a part of this. I just want to thank you for coming out and wanting to be a part of this event and celebrate the fact that the transportation department has done everything that they have done to get us to this point.”

Jimmy Umphrey, Transportation Director for Albertville City Schools appreciated all the support he has received to make the electric buses possible.

“Thanks to everyone who is here today supporting our school system and all that you have to help us. I’m just going to be extremely forward with you, we are blessed,” he said. “We were granted this opportunity by Southland Transportation Group and International, I thank them for assisting us and doing our application process. There are just so many people that have been a part of this and without them it would not have been possible. Little less than a year ago we had our first meeting after we learned that we had received the rebate. MUB, I could never say enough about our utility company here in Albertville City. Thank you and all your staff for what you have done to help us. It is so generous to go above and beyond. I appreciate the fact that all these people come together. That’s what got this started, good communication and we had the right people involved and it just went from there. It has been a great journey so far and we are looking forward to the journey continuing. Thanks again to everybody but I could not do anything without this group of people sitting right back here,” he said as he pointed to a table of ACS Bus Drivers. “I appreciate all of my drivers and my staff. It is incredible how much they support me and our school system, thank you all so much.”

Debbie Sanford, VP Bus Operations Southland Transportation Group thanked the Albertville City School System for the opportunity to partner with them on this new journey.

“The Federal Government provided school systems the opportunity to take part in grants and rebates to obtain electric school buses at little to zero cost,’ she said. “We participated in that first rebate and with Albertville City and after having discussions with the board and Superintendent getting approval for them. We applied for 19 electric school buses and we were approved by the EPA. My hat is off to the EPA because they were patient with this girl who did not know what she was doing. We are now in the process of making the first deliveries and so far, so good. We are hearing nothing but positive feedback. Jimmy, thank you for your tremendous help and support. You did all the leg work for this and my hat is off to you for that. You saw a vision; you shared your vision with many of us and now it’s coming true. Hats off to you, you deserve the credit. The community shares in our excitement and the most precious cargo we are blessed with get to enjoy the quiet ride. Again, thank you and we look forward to many more years of this great partnership with Albertville City Schools.”

John Nicholson, Chief of Staff for EPA Southeast Region 4, spoke about the honor it was to be a part of the celebration.

“The Clean School Bus Program for EPA has been a very good news action for us. An opportunity to come and celebrate with you today is great,” Nicholson said. “What you have accomplished, the task that you undertook, is pretty significant. Your perseverance and persistence has paid off to the celebration we have today. In addition to the health and environmental benefits the buses will also be quieter in operation. A quieter bus is a safer bus.”

Nicholson who has also been a bus driver knows the importance of being able to hear while driving and transporting students.

“There are also a lot of people behind the scenes who keep these buses running, mechanics and folks that make sure that vehicles are safe every day, along with the drivers themselves. They are hauling our most precious cargo, our children,” he continued. “This is a 5-billion-dollar Clean School Bus Program from across the United States to remove half of a million aged diesel buses off the road. The program will improve air quality which in turn results in healthier air for our 25 million school children who ride the school buses. This is in addition to good job creations especially in the transportation area. 7.5 million dollars to Albertville. That’s pretty impressive. You should be very proud. Fuel savings of 26 thousand gallons a year. That’s incredible, that’s a lot of money. Your children will now enjoy a pollution free ride to and from school. Thank you for your commitment to your children, your community and the environment.”

Those in attendance were able to take a short ride on two of the new electric buses to close out the celebration.