School districts using hybrid buses

OCONOMOWOC (AP) - Some southeastern Wisconsin students will get a ride in green school buses next week.

The Oconomowoc Area School District is using 11 plug-in hybrid electric school buses, which are expected to save $26,000 a year in fuel costs.

They will be recharged with 224 solar panels at the state's first solar-electric charging station.

IC Bus LLC has produced more than 100 hybrid school and commercial buses since 2007.

On Wednesday, Riteway Bus of Germantown will break ground for its own solar-powered charging station, which will charge 13 plug-in hybrid school buses for the Oak Creek Franklin School District.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the purchases are the result of a private-public partnership that aims to combine $17 million in private investment with $15 million in federal stimulus funds.