Electricity drives the future of school transportation

When Dallas ISD announced that it acquired 17 electric school buses, Ansley Carlos, bus driver for both Solar Prep Schools and Dallas ISD alumna, never imagined she would be driving one. In fact, had you asked her if it were something she would be open to, she would have balked at the thought.  

“I just knew I wasn’t going to understand anything,” Carlos said. “I wanted nothing to do with it.” 

The district, however, had other plans for Carlos.  

Just this past January, Carlos received training in the safe operation of electric buses, including behind-the-wheel instruction and charging procedures. 

“Our team went through rigorous training by the vendor to ensure that they learned the ins and outs of driving an electric bus and how to charge them,” said Jazmin A. Harrison, executive director of Student Transportation Services. 

Carlos passed training and quickly became one of the “most versed individuals in electric vehicles,” according to Albert Brown, director of Student Transportation Services. Although Carlos is merely following proper procedures and protocol, Brown believes this is all anyone needs to adapt to the novelty of electric vehicles over time.  

“The EV is more complex than diesel-fueled buses, but Ms. Ansley was able to pick up on it quickly,” he said.  

In addition to their eco-friendly designs—including lower noise pollution and emissions-free operation—the new buses provide a smoother driving experience. Particularly, Carlos notes that she does not need to apply much pressure to the brakes before bringing the bus to a complete stop.

“You’re not stomping on the brakes as much as you do in a diesel bus,” she said. 

Students—and even some parents—have remarked how much more comfortable electric buses are than their diesel counterparts. 

Carlos is one of approximately 30 district employees, including substitute drivers, who are trained to operate the electric buses. The initiative’s first phase focused on drivers already on the shortest routes. 

“We were strategic about identifying the routes with the fewer miles traveled per day,” Harrison said. “We had to prioritize safety and take Dallas weather into consideration.” 

The purpose is to track energy consumption and range capacity. In other words, how long can the buses be on the road before they need to be recharged? The buses collect data to “learn,” so to speak, how much energy is needed to complete a run, Brown said. Depending on the results, the district will explore the possibility of extending their use to meet other transportation needs. 

Already, Harrison said, the buses are serving to transport students to field trips.   

While Carlos is pleased with her overall driving experience, she points out that one downside is ensuring the battery does not run completely flat. With an approximate 200-mile range, forgetting to recharge the buses could leave drivers stranded and disrupt services. Moreover, speeding, too, can drain battery life swiftly.  

Carlos acknowledges a further advantage of driving electric buses: the quiet engine allows her to pay closer attention to her charges, especially those with special needs.

“If they’re in trouble, I’ll know,” she said. 

In the meantime, she does not foresee an about-face regarding her newly found preference for electric buses. 

“I don’t want to go back to diesel,” she admitted. “This morning I had to drive a diesel because my EV is in the shop, and I was very confused. I kept looking for the buttons.”   

The electric buses are currently stationed at Lawnview Service Center. The district is planning to equip more service centers with charging capabilities in the coming years.