A 2009 BLUEBIRD VISION SCHOOL BUS DEVELOPED A FUEL (DIESEL) LEAK AND CAUGHT FIRE. IT FULLY ENGULFED THE BUS BURNING IT TO A TOTAL LOSS. ONE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT, A TRANSPORTATION AIDE, AND THE DRIVER WERE ON BOARD. ALL EVACUATED SAFELY. WE RECENTLY RECEIVED 46 OF THESE BUSES (ALL CONFIGURED THE SAME) AND WE HAVE HAD 8 INCIDENTS OF FUEL LEAKS INVOLVING 6 OF THESE UNITS, NOT INCLUDING THE BUS WHICH CAUGHT FIRE. OUR DISTRICT HAS MET WITH BLUEBIRD AND CATERPILLAR (ENGINE SUPPLIER) AND LOOKED AT THE BURNED UNIT. WE ARE WAITING FOR THEIR COMMENTS FROM THIS. WE HAVE EXAMINED ALL OTHER SIMILAR UNITS FOR FUEL LEAKS AND POSSIBLE IGNITION SOURCES. REPAIRS AND CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AS NEEDED. *TR