Baltimore City Public Schools
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools)
Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools), serving approximately 76,000 students, is committed to providing a world-class education and creating a positive impact on their community. With 25 electric school buses and chargers in their fleet, City Schools will serve an initial group of about 350 students daily, including students with special education needs. The initiative, funded by the EPA Clean School Bus Program, aims to enhance air quality and equity.
“We are excited that by electrifying our school bus fleet, we will contribute to cleaner air for students and staff, and for our entire community. We were able to embrace this innovation in student transportation as a result of partnerships like the one we have with Highland. They have been a great partner in helping us develop and launch our electric bus program.”
Lynette Washington
Chief Operating Officer, Baltimore City Public Schools
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming electric school bus events at Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools). Please check back later for updates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is an electric bus structurally any different than a traditional bus?
No. Electric school buses are structurally identical to their traditional counterparts. They are built on the same chassis as diesel buses by many of the same manufacturers, including Blue Bird, Thomas Built Buses, and IC. Electric school buses meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS).
What are the health benefits of electric school buses?
Electric school buses eliminate student, driver, and community exposure to diesel fumes, which have been linked to childhood asthma, respiratory illnesses, and absenteeism. These effects are often more severe in historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
How far can a fully-charged bus travel?
Depending on the model, a typical electric school bus can travel 100-120+ miles on a full charge. This range makes electric school buses suitable for more than 90% of all school bus routes in the United States. Electric school buses also have a regenerative braking mode that enables them to partially recharge while they’re being driven, which can help extend range.
What is vehicle-to-grid technology?
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology allows an electric school bus to both draw energy from the grid to charge its batteries, and discharge energy from its batteries back to the grid when the community needs it. This bi-directional charging infrastructure transforms an electric school bus into a valuable Distributed Energy Resource (DER) — effectively a large battery that utilities can draw on during periods of peak demand to reduce strain on the electric grid and make communities more resilient. Utilities with V2G programs pay for this extra power, which can help reduce the cost of electrification.