6 Things School Districts Should Consider When Transitioning to Electric School Buses
Deciding to transition your school district’s bus fleet to electric school buses is a critical step towards fleet electrification. Many districts recognize the benefits of transitioning to EV school buses but face challenges in the early stages, especially in understanding all the required steps and then executing a plan.
We’ve identified six key factors every school district should consider before investing in EV school buses.
1. Determine Your School District’s Bus Fleet Strategy
Replacing a gas-powered school bus ecosystem won’t happen overnight. Developing a fleet strategy can help you plan and prioritize things like route efficiency, infrastructure costs, and a maintenance schedule as new vehicles integrate into your fleet’s lineup. A fleet strategy would define and plan for changes in your fleet makeup. This strategy would also include understanding:
- Your route-level energy consumption
- The various phases of replacing your vehicles
- Charge management
- Impacts to the environment and air quality
- Maintenance Schedules
There are other potential benefits to diversifying with electric school buses. Many districts have integrated electric school buses into their existing sustainability plans. Developing a strategy around your fleet can help maximize route flexibility, which could also improve uptime and availability.
2. Assess Current Bus Fleet Needs
Before you make the switch to electric, it is important to evaluate your district’s transportation needs and whether electric school buses will be able to meet those demands. We often work with customers who are trying to balance specific route considerations, including range, reliability, and cold weather performance.
One study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) suggested that the average school bus route nationally was just 32 miles. Most electric bus models available today have a range of up to 300 miles, which more than meets this requirement.
Carefully considering how EVs fit into your current routes can help you prioritize the order in which you replace your diesel vehicles.
3. Understand the Costs of Owning and Operating Electric School Buses
A key reason for switching to electric school buses, even if done gradually, is that it can reduce the costs associated with operating your current diesel fleet. Understanding how those costs will evolve over a multi-year period can help optimize the above-mentioned fleet strategy and plan for a sustainable way to transition your fleet, without disruptions.
By forecasting these costs, you can budget appropriately for future expenses, identify any potential benefits of V2G (vehicle-to-grid) in advance of deploying any new vehicles, and develop a maintenance schedule for your bus fleet.
4. Explore State & Federal Funding for Electric School Bus Fleets
There are several state, federal and local utility funding opportunities available for school districts that want to make the transition to electric school buses. One of the largest funding opportunities in the United States includes the $5B Clean School Bus Program administered by the EPA. The EPA’s most recent Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program launched in 2024 is also a notable funding opportunity – designed to support school districts, municipalities, Native American tribes, and states in replacing their fossil-fueled vehicles with zero-emissions options.
Going electric can be expensive, but by using the right funding sources you can reduce the high costs associated with transitioning, making it more affordable for your school district in the long run.
5. Evaluate the Necessary Charging & Infrastructure Upgrades
Charging infrastructure is critical to ensuring your fleet has adequate charging stations, but it can also involve upgrading other elements of your bus depot and maintenance facilities to accommodate electric school buses. Upgrading your charging infrastructure will also include assessing your depot’s power needs in collaboration with your local utility. Know what is required for sufficient charging infrastructure by asking your utility for help with your project.
6. Identify Electrification Partner(s) for EV School Bus Deployment
Transitioning your school bus fleet to new electric vehicles requires both substantial planning and a high level of effort and expertise. These are great reasons to work with a partner. Outside providers with deep knowledge of managing electrification projects can help ensure a smoother transition to new electric vehicles and infrastructure. Here are a few capabilities a partner should bring to the table:
- Support with state and federal funding
- Ability to design & plan bus depot upgrades
- Charging technology expertise
- Training programs for you and your staff
- A program offering maintenance & long-term support
At Highland, our mission is to ensure that electrification is accessible and affordable for all communities. By partnering with us, we can help you understand which funding is available in your state since we actively track and monitor other state and federal-level incentives across the United States. We can also help you plan, design, and install everything that is required for successful EV fleet operations. Highland will partner with you and your utility throughout the entire electrification process and beyond – even training you and your staff on how to maintain your fleet.
Before beginning your electric school bus project, we encourage you to consider these 6 things and your district will be well-prepared for a smooth and successful journey towards school bus fleet electrification.
Interested in discussing potential paths to school bus electrification? Connect with us here.
