By Joe Jenkins
With 16 years in the alternative fuels space, including electric, hybrid, propane, and natural gas, I have worked through the evolution of vehicle technology from early aftermarket conversions to today’s purpose-built, factory-designed electric school buses. At IC Bus, I focus specifically on supporting customers through the transition from internal combustion to electric, with a core emphasis on power safety and how to get the most out of their new bus.
When school districts first begin exploring electric buses, safety is usually their top concern, and rightfully so. They’re used to diesel fleets and often hear conflicting information about EVs. My job is to cut through that noise and give transportation teams a grounded, practical understanding of how electric school bus power systems work, and more importantly, how they’re engineered to keep drivers, technicians, and students safe.
Addressing Common Misconceptions
The most common concern I hear is about battery fires. There’s a public perception (fueled by media and online content) that EVs are prone to thermal events. But the reality is that modern EV platforms, especially in the school transportation sector, are designed with layers of safety redundancies to prevent and mitigate those risks. Fires in electric school buses are extremely rare.
From day one, we’ve designed our vehicles with active battery cooling systems, real-time battery monitoring, physical safety disconnects, and component fuses to make sure power is only delivered when it is safe to do so. These systems work together to detect abnormalities and shut things down long before a hazard develops.
A Unique Approach to High-Voltage Safety
Where IC Bus stands out is in our attention to detail when it comes to technician safety and system transparency. In many medium-duty vehicles, high-voltage cabling is identified only by a solid orange color, giving no real indication of what’s behind it. That leaves the technician guessing: what is this cable connected to? Is it live? Is it isolated?
We took a different approach. At IC Bus, all high-voltage cables are clearly marked with colored stripes and labeled numerically: 1, 2, or 3. These markings indicate exactly how deep into the isolation process a technician must go to safely handle a specific cable or component. That level of clarity eliminates ambiguity and supports both routine maintenance and emergency service work.
We also provide technicians and fleet personnel with detailed documentation and training that directly aligns with these visual safety indicators. They know what each marking means, how to interpret them, and how to work confidently around high-voltage components.
Keeping the Cabin Free of High Voltage
Another IC Bus safety feature that we prioritize is keeping all high-voltage components outside the passenger cabin. Everything is located at chassis level, ensuring that even in the event of a crash or emergency extraction, there is reduced risk of a student or first responder coming into contact with dangerous voltage.
This is especially important for emergency response teams. If a district requests it, we’ll conduct on-site training with local fire departments or EMS teams to walk through the vehicle and answer their specific questions: Where can they cut? What parts are safe to handle? What tools should they use or avoid? We want them to be prepared and comfortable when responding to any incident involving one of our buses.
Built-In Diagnostic Safeguards
One of the more advanced but lesser-known safety features, now common in passenger cars, and we align with is the high-voltage interlock system. This is a low-voltage circuit embedded in every high-voltage connection. It detects whether the cable is fully snapped and locked into its component. If it’s not, the system alerts the vehicle with a fault code or indicator and prevents high-voltage current from flowing.
This is an incredibly important piece of the puzzle. It prevents situations where a loose cable that is still energized could cause arcing or component damage. It also adds another layer of protection for the operator and technician. If something isn’t fully connected, the vehicle knows, and it tells you.
A Safer Transition to EV
When districts adopt electric buses, they are stepping into unfamiliar territory. I make it a priority to train every stakeholder, not just the technicians, but also drivers, managers, and even administrative staff. In this way, they understand the systems and feel confident operating them.
And when questions do come up, whether it’s “can I change my charging strategy to increase efficiency?” or “why is my range different than expected?” we’re there. We help interpret the vehicle’s telematics, determine whether a service visit is needed, and support every step of the EV ownership journey.
What I always emphasize is that this is still the same IC Bus platform that customers know and trust. All the standard school bus safety features (emergency exits, hatches, mandated configurations by state spec) are still in place. The vehicle may be powered differently, but the integrity of the bus as a safe transport vehicle remains unchanged.
Joe Jenkins is a Zero Emissions Customer Onboarding Manager for International Truck and IC Bus. Visit www.icbus.com for more information.