The buses are ready to roll

A line of electric buses, shiny and new, is parked next to the brand-new charging stations at the Lawnview Service Station ready to go into service in the spring. The buses are part of a total fleet of 17 electric buses that the district will put into circulation in 2025.

Once plates are issued and drivers go through a special training in January, the buses—which have a 300-mile reach per charge—will be folded into routes around the Lawnview station.

The 17 buses are funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. This is the first step in the district’s plan to eventually transition to all electric buses, something that Bryant Shaw, manager of the Energy and Sustainability Services Department, anticipates will happen in the not too distant future. 

Two other buses will be funded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. As the district carries out this project, most of the funding for additional buses and charging stations at other service centers is going to come from the federal government thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.

“I can’t wait to see the new buses rolling down our streets, picking up our students with zero emissions, making our air cleaner, and more breathable for generations to come,” said Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde, when the buses were first announced as part of the Board of Trustees’ Environment and Climate Resolution from 2020. Pursuing funding for 25 electric buses is part of the goals set forth by the resolution.

As part of the installation of the electrical infrastructure for the initial buses, the district has a partnership with Oncor. According to Shaw, additional energy-saving efforts are being implemented, such as managed charging, so the buses will be charged at a certain time, such as the evening hours to manage costs. 

Shaw and his team continue to diligently work on applying for federal funding to get more buses, including the EPA grant stemming from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. Dallas ISD also has received national attention for this work, as Shaw has presented the district’s efforts around the country. He shares with other districts how to get onboard, as well as some of the issues to watch for along the way. 

For more information on the district’s electric school buses, visit the Energy and Sustainability Services website at www.dallasisd.org/energyandsustainability.