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Electric school buses (ESBs) are gaining traction in North America due, in part, to the very favorable reception from drivers. Drivers appreciate that ESBs are easy to drive, quiet, and require less maintenance than diesel busses.
This has led to many Facebook and Reddit posts from school bus drivers about how much they like the new electric busses versus driving tradition diesel busses. Here’s a recent, post on Facebook by Desirie Ostby about how much she likes her ESB.
“I love my EV school bus. It drives great, has that new bus smell and feel. It’s quiet. I never have to fuel or put DEF in it. Pretty low maintenance.”
Cory T. Branham made a comment about range:
“100 plus miles before needing to charge and no breaking down yet.
I have been driving it for a month now. It is great”
Desirie Ostby added:
“All these people poopoo electric buses, yet they’ve never actually driven one. Gillig’s newest version of electric bus are super sporty and have a range of 400+ miles. I love the diesels I drive, but the electrics aren’t bad at all.”
For school districts, deploying electric school buses offers a lot of obvious advantages. Total cost of ownership (TCO) for electric busses is much lower than for diesel busses. It comes from savings driven by lower electricity costs compared to diesel, reduced maintenance needs due to fewer moving parts, and longer brake life thanks to regenerative braking. Electric buses eliminate oil changes, exhaust repairs, and transmission issues, helping districts cut down on service interruptions and shop time. Drivers find electric buses to be much easier to operate, which not only reduces fatigue but can also make recruitment and retention easier in a tight labor market. These benefits compound over time making electronification a cost-effective investment for school districts.
Major unions like the American Federation of Teachers and the United Auto Workers support a national transition to electric school buses. AFT President Randi Weingarten described the effort as a “win-win-win” for children’s health, the climate, and the economy. Weingarten emphasized that this change is not about overnight replacement, but a steady move toward cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable school transportation. Union leaders called for these buses to be made in America by union workers to ensure quality jobs and equitable investment. Each year, diesel buses contribute over five million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, worsening asthma and respiratory issues, especially in communities already overburdened by pollution.
Many school districts in the U.S. partner with a transportation company to provide school bus services. The largest are First Student with approximately 44,000 busses, National Express / Durham Services with about 15,500 buses, and Student Transportation Inc. with about 11,500 buses. To school districts, these companies offer turnkey transportation solutions. This includes driver staffing, bus fleet management, route planning, maintenance, and increasingly, electrification support. These services allow school districts to focus on education while ensuring that transportation is safe, efficient, and cost-effective.
To understand the nationwide rollout, advantages, and acceptance of electric school busses in the U.S., we’ll look at First Student. They operate across 38 states in the U.S. and seven Canadian provinces in Canada, serving about 5.5 million student trips per day. Recognizing the opportunity to lead the industry’s transition to clean energy, First Student has committed to electrifying a significant portion of its fleet. With 450 electric buses already in operation and 1,200 more on order, the company aims to scale up to 30,000 electric school buses by 2035.
Why School Buses Are Ideal for Electrification
Electric school buses are well suited to daily operations. Most routes cover only 40 miles in the morning and another 40 in the afternoon, which falls comfortably within the range of current battery technology. First Student has found that roughly 75 percent of its 46,000 routes can already be supported by electric buses. The switch not only reduces emissions but also supports student health and community air quality. While electric buses present challenges like range anxiety and cold-weather performance, they also require less maintenance than their diesel counterparts. This makes both school busses and garbage trucks excellent candidates for electrification.
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Bus Technology and Customization
First Student operates several electric school bus models, including Type A, C, and D platforms. The most common is the Type C, with a hooded front and capacity for up to 72 passengers. These buses are supplied by manufacturers like IC Bus, Blue Bird, and Thomas Built Buses. Each has adapted its existing diesel or gasoline platforms to accept electric drivetrains, placing battery packs where fuel tanks once sat and installing power electronics in the former engine compartment. IC Bus offers two main battery options: a 210 kWh and a 315 kWh pack, providing ranges of 120 to 150 miles depending on conditions.
Climate Challenges and Real-World Testing
Operating in cold climates has required innovation. First Student began its electrification journey in Quebec, where winter temperatures regularly fall below minus 20°F. In these conditions, range and cabin heating become critical. To maintain passenger comfort and meet legal temperature requirements, First Student has integrated fuel-fired heaters on some buses. The company is also working with OEMs on new all-electric heat pump systems that can provide efficient heating and cooling while preserving range.
The Charging Infrastructure
Recognizing that vehicle performance is only part of the solution, First Student developed its own modular charging solution called “First Charge.” Built in partnership with Westinghouse, this above-ground system solves major cost and logistical challenges faced by school districts. The system uses portable concrete jersey barriers to hold cables and power electronics, eliminating the need for expensive trenching or permanent installations. This is especially useful for leased lots or flood-prone areas, where infrastructure needs to be flexible, movable, and even floatable in emergencies. The modular design also allows districts to scale their capacity quickly as fleets grow.
Each First Charge unit houses its switchgear, panels, and communication hardware in a prefabricated, climate-protected container called the Power Cube. The system can support up to 48 buses with Level 2 or DC fast charging, and can easily be expanded by adding more containers. The ingenious design allows energy storage units to be stacked above the Power Cube to manage peak utility rates and increase system resiliency, including second-life batteries from retired school buses.
In Conclusion:
Electric school buses are already reshaping student transportation in practical and measurable ways. With proven benefits in cost, comfort, maintenance, and air quality, they offer school districts a clear path forward. School districts that have deployed ESBs show how scale, innovation, and experience can come together to make electrification not only feasible but advantageous. From quieter rides to smarter infrastructure, the momentum behind electric school buses is real, and it is accelerating.
Please Drop Your Thoughts in the Comments Below
If you’ve driven or ridden in an electric bus, what stood out most to you?
Do you think electric buses could eventually eliminate the need for traditional shop repairs? Or will diesel still be necessary for some routes?
Chris Johnston is the author of SAE’s comprehensive book on electric vehicles, “The Arrival of The Electric Car.” His coverage on Torque News focuses on electric vehicles. Chris has decades of product management experience in telematics, mobile computing, and wireless communications. Chris has a B.S. in electrical engineering from Purdue University and an MBA. He lives in Seattle. When not working, Chris enjoys restoring classic wooden boats, open water swimming, cycling and flying (as a private pilot). You can connect with Chris on LinkedIn and follow his work on X at ChrisJohnstonEV.
Image sources: International media kit
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Source: torquenews.com
