PLATTSBURGH — A looming deadline to convert all public school district bus fleets from diesel to zero-emission electric units across New York state has districts rolling up their sleeves to create a workable plan.
“We are approaching this transition cautiously to ensure feasibility and minimize disruptions to our transportation services,” Beekmantown Central School District Superintendent Dustin Relation said.
“Our first step will be to complete a feasibility study to determine our transportation infrastructure needs to make this transition successful. This study will help us identify infrastructure gaps, understand costs, and ensure the buses meet the unique needs of our district.”
APPROACHING DEADLINES
All school buses in the state purchased by 2027 must be zero-emission buses, with the entire fleet transitioned to zero emission by 2035.
“Paving the way for zero-emission school buses not only cleans our air, it protects the health and wellbeing of our students,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
“With increased funding for schools to transition to clean transportation options, we are reducing harmful emissions and pollution, helping to ensure that both students and residents are breathing clean, fresh air and enjoying healthier environments to live, work and do business.”
Relation said that in order for Beekmantown to comply with the state mandate, the district will need to begin incorporating zero-emission buses into the fleet with voter approval in the near future.
The goal of reducing emissions and improving sustainability, he said, is admirable and beneficial for students and the environment, but the plan presents significant challenges.
“The timelines and costs place a heavy burden on districts, especially those in larger rural areas such as ours, where longer routes and severe weather add to the complexity,” Relation said.
“Flexibility in implementation and financial support from the state are critical to making this program viable. For example, the feasibility of zero-emission buses on longer rural routes is a key concern that needs to be addressed.”
NEEDING UPGRADES
Beekmantown’s bus fleet currently consists of 38 buses in total and has 23 transportation routes, with a dual-run schedule for our elementary and secondary students.
This means their buses cumulatively complete 92 trips each day which does not take into account other trips for athletics and other educational opportunities.
“Our current transportation facility will need significant upgrades to accommodate charging stations and other requirements for zero-emission buses,” Relation said.
“While the specific needs will be identified in our future transportation feasibility study, we anticipate upgrades such as high-capacity power supply installations, additional space for charging stations, and modifications to garage layouts.”
Relation also said considerations also include the need to coordinate with utility providers to ensure adequate electrical capacity at the school facility.
PASSED BOND ACT
The change in New York comes from voters overwhelmingly approving the Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act in 2022, which included $500 million to support the transition to zero-emission school buses.
Administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, there are incentives to eligible school districts and bus fleet operators purchasing electric buses.
NYSERDA has established the NY School Bus Incentive Program to achieve these State public purposes and assist school districts in meeting the zero-emission bus timelines.
Zero-emission school buses include both electric school buses and hydrogen fuel cell school buses, collectively referred to as ESBs.
The funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis with incentive amounts covering up to 100 percent of the incremental cost of a new or repowered zero-emission school bus, depending on the type of vehicle, helping make the cost of an electric bus comparable to that of a gas or diesel bus.
SEEKING FUNDS
Larger funding amounts are available for high-need school districts and disadvantaged communities as determined by the New York State Climate Justice Working Group criteria.
More than 75 school districts have applied for funds.
These include applications to purchase 350 buses, including 51 districts located in disadvantaged communities, and almost half of the state’s school districts are now working with NYSERDA to create Fleet Electrification Plans.
The Malone Central School District, the largest in Franklin County, has four EV buses and four chargers.
Brooks McQuinn, the Malone transportation supervisor, said the district operates a total of 43 full-size and 65-passenger buses.
Due to battery limitations, the EV buses are limited to 30 to 35 miles per trip, which puts it at around 70 miles per day.
“The battery draw with the heaters on is significant, which is why we want to keep them to 70 miles a day,” McQuinn said.
McQuinn said the EV buses are silent and parents have reported not being able to hear them approaching.
“They should listen for the parking brake. You will hear it let out a hiss as they come to a stop,” he said.
POSITIVE FEEDBACK
Despite this drawback, feedback from passengers and drivers has been positive.
“A quieter bus means a quieter environment for the kids and the bus drivers, who also like them,” McQuinn said.
“Some advantages to them are they’re cleaner, and the drivers do like them. They put out more horsepower going up some of those hills, and then on the way back down they have regenerative braking to restore some of the energy,” he said.
McQuinn highlighted infrastructure constraints.
“We have four 19.2 chargers, which maximizes the panel. Any more and we would have to do infrastructure upgrades,” he said.
SYSTEM STRUGGLES
McQuinn explained that the district relies mostly on propane and gasoline buses in the fleet to travel the longer distances required in their district.
“We cannot send them on sports trips out of town. We are a big district, we cover about 386 square miles, most of that rural,” he said.
Brandon Pelkey, the Malone CSD Superintendent of Schools, they have already done all they can to stay on track with the NYSBIP deadlines and are awaiting further guidelines, noting the biggest concern is the size of the district.
“We cannot send them the distances we need, so we will have to maintain our propane buses,” he said.
He does, however, think a “hybrid,” may be a “better solution,” for larger districts who have buses traveling over 100 miles per trip.
McQuinn is not confident in the program’s timeline expectations.
“I think it is a great program but it may have some unrealistic expectations for the timeline,” he said.
Pelkey noted that some districts will “struggle,” to meet the 2035 deadline.