The Little Rock School District (LRSD), in partnership with Blue Bird Corporation, is proud to announce the arrival of 25 state-of-the-art electric school buses, marking a new chapter in student transportation that prioritizes sustainability, student wellness, and community health. LRSD is now poised to become the 8th largest public school system to provide electric school bus service, and the largest in Arkansas.
As Arkansas’ third-largest school district, LRSD is taking bold steps to reduce emissions and operational costs while ensuring safer, healthier rides for more than 19,000 students. The new electric fleet will travel nearly 1,400 miles daily, transporting 500 students with zero emissions and significant fuel savings.
“ This is more than just adding new buses—it’s about doing what’s right for our kids and our community,” said Dr. Jermall D. Wright, Superintendent of the Little Rock School District. “We’re proud to introduce Blue Bird’s electric school buses as a step toward a cleaner, healthier future. Every mile these buses travel means less pollution, cleaner air, and a stronger commitment to the well-being of our students and the neighborhoods we serve.”
City officials joined LRSD in celebrating the milestone.
“Today is a great day for innovation, resiliency and sustainability. On behalf of the City of Little Rock, we applaud the great work of the Little Rock School District. This represents not just 25 buses that are being electrically charged and reducing harmful emissions, it also shows the investment in innovation,” said Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. “We are grateful as well as a city to be leading alongside the Little Rock School District in what we do in sustainability, as we are also transitioning our fleet to EV charged vehicles."
The 25 Blue Bird Vision electric buses, delivered through Central States Bus Sales in North Little Rock, feature a 130-mile range per charge and seating for up to 69 passengers. High-performance batteries allow for full recharging in approximately two hours.
“We are pleased that Little Rock School District continues to place its trust in Blue Bird to help shift to clean student transportation,” said Albert Burleigh, VP of North America Bus Sales at Blue Bird. “For more than 25 years, the district has relied on Blue Bird and our local dealer partner to meet its transportation needs—and now we’re proud to deliver safe, reliable, zero-emission vehicles that reflect our shared values.”
The purchase was made possible by a $9.8 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program, which supports districts in replacing old diesel buses with clean, electric alternatives.
The EV buses will begin rolling on the first day of school, August 11th.