Five brand new school buses have joined the fleet for Gloucester County Public Schools.

Vickram Rajpaul, Director of Transportation for the county division, said the new vehicles were made possible in part because of a Department of Education grant. 

The grant used Environmental Protection Agency rebates as a funding source and required the five oldest buses in the fleet to be retired in favor of the newer models.

The new buses boast nearly double the fuel efficiency of older vehicles, with a rating of 11-12 mpg compared to 7-8 mpg as is typical with older model years.

Additionally, they can hold 71 students as opposed to the approximately 45 carried by older buses, according to Rajpaul.

The new buses also feature safety improvements, improved aerodynamics, a more ergonomic cab for the driver, and more headroom for students, the director added. ...