Following the reveal of Bethlehem Area School District’s two new electric buses, the Press asked Transportation General Manager Jenny Casebolt-Robinson just how different the vehicles are from the rest of the diesel fleet.

For the most part, she said, there are very few cosmetic differences. The electric buses are manufactured almost identically to diesel buses, so drivers and passengers will notice nothing more than a few new indicator lights.

“The biggest impacts,” Casebolt-Robinson said, “are on the driver’s pre- and post-trip inspections, but even those impacts are minimal. The components of the vehicle that a driver is required to check every trip are the same, with the only difference being the under the hood. As with diesel buses, drivers check to see that fluid levels are appropriate and that hoses and belts are in good condition and not frayed. This is similar to the electric vehicles in that hose and cord inspection are noted, but there aren’t as many fluids to check.”

She explained how the buses are being tested for charging travel distance. “Our two buses were successfully delivered (driven) from the dealership in Duncannon, a trip of 96 miles. The manufacturer lists a range of up to 138 miles, but our test routes are not that far. We have not yet tested them on academic or athletic trips, and in good conscience we can’t send them long distances without first researching if a fully functioning charging station would be available for our use, if needed. We are operating these buses on several different routes for the rest of this school year so that we can analyze data that will allow for a more long-term route assignment for school year 2024-25.”

Casebolt-Robinson said pre- and post-trip inspections will differ very little, except the heavier EV buses may wear tires faster, but have fewer necessary fluids to check.

It’s too early to tell how the EV buses’ high base cost ($380,000 versus $130,000 for the diesel buses) will be balanced against lower maintenance costs. The first EV buses hit American streets in 2014 and many new models and improvements have since been introduced.

A recent study of electric school buses by the World Resource Institute concluded: Like any new technology, there are still barriers to adopting these buses, such as high upfront bus costs and new infrastructure needs, reliability issues with older bus models, and insufficient access to specialized maintenance and technical support. However, ESBs provide a number of benefits, such as reduced operations and maintenance costs, reduced pollution and emissions, the potential to improve students’ health and academic outcomes, and the potential to bolster resilience. As school districts navigate this growing market, we hope this publication and future updates will serve as valuable resource for school transportation providers interested in adopting electric school buses.