New funding is helping school districts phase out older diesel vehicles that pose health risks and hamper emissions goals. But obstacles remain.
to rely on public transportation to get to school while also riding more often in older buses that spew the highest levels of pollution.
Los Angeles Unified School District started using these new electric school buses, seen here in the bus yard, at the start of the current school year. The buses each have a range of 155 miles and are expected to save the district about $10,000 a year in fuel and maintenance when compared to conventional buses.
of its Clean School Bus program funding, more than three our of four districts that applied for funds received nothing. That leaves districts such as Anaheim Elementary, Lake Elsinore Unified, Whittier Union High and dozens more in Southern California stuck on aElectric school buses typically cost twice as much as traditional buses — and that’s before the costs of installing charging infrastructure.
Nick Voisard, who oversees electric vehicles for the parent company of Durham School Services — which contracts with several regional school districts, including Compton Unified — said his company could comfortably swap out 60% of its 17,000-bus fleet today based on current EV school bus technology. And he expects that percentage to increase dramatically in coming years as range improves.
They enjoy not smelling emissions all day long. They like the smoother ride. And Voisard said drivers even report that kids are quieter, since they’re not yelling over engine noise. The main reason districts haven’t been able to more rapidly electrify their school bus fleets is simply the upfront cost combined with tight education budgets, according to Jema Estrella, who’s in charge of facilities and sustainability for the L.A. County Office of Education.
Two years ago, El Monte Union High School District got $9.8 million to buy 11 electric buses through the California Air Resources Board’spilot program. They’ve started to operate some of those buses now and will have them all on the road as soon as charging stations are built out. The key is for districts to reach out to their utility company early in the bus-shopping process, according to Carter Prescott, director of electrification for Edison. It can take up to 14 months to build out appropriate infrastructure, and Edison can offer advisory services to help districts with everything from design to financial support.
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