Proposition 2 - Electric School Bus purchase for Cortland School District
Be prepared for the May 20 school district vote
On May 20, voters in the Cortland school district will vote on two propositions regarding the purchase of new school buses.
Some background:
In 2022, the NYS legislature required that by 2035 all school buses be electric. To get there, starting in 2027, all new school bus purchases must be electric. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) estimates that combustion-engine school buses, which currently make up the majority of New York State’s fleet, emit approximately 1.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, and that “electrifying the State’s 45,000 school buses would be equivalent to removing almost 180,000 cars from the road.” So while there are obvious environmental benefits to shifting to electric buses, obstacles to the change include upfront cost, electric infrastructure, and uncertainty.
Proposition 2:
The school district seeks to purchase 4 new buses this year to stay on track with its bus replacement plan. Voting “yes” on proposition 2 would allow the Cortland School district to purchase one (1) electric bus and three (3) diesel buses.
Proposition 3:
Proposition 3 is simply a backup measure in case proposition 2 fails. Again, since the district needs 4 buses, proposition 3 would permit the district to purchase four (4) diesel buses. You should vote on both propositions.
Addressing the concerns of electric buses:
1) Cost for the bus. Electric school buses cost roughly $400k as opposed to $200k for diesel buses. However, fuel costs are one-third that of diesel and maintenance is cheaper. The NYSERDA’s Bus Incentive Program (NYSBIP) provides grants to make the cost over the buses’ 8-year lifetimes equal.
2) Cost for the charging. There are two charger types called Level 2 and Level 3. Level 2 chargers take 8 hours to charge a bus battery and require 19 kW at 240 V. Level 3 chargers take 3 hours to charge a bus battery and require 50kW at 480 V.
With Level 2, charging is overnight. With Level 3, charging can be between morning and afternoon runs. Much of the cost is for installation, and 480 V power is not available in some places. The costs are $10k for Level 2 and $50k for Level 3.
National Grid has the capacity to power chargers at the Cortland school bus garage, and the solar field developer Davis Hill and the City of Cortland will donate a free bus charger to the district. At the budget hearing, Business Administrator Kristopher Williamson was unsure of the type of charger that will be donated but said likely a level 2.
As the transition to electric school buses progresses to meet the state mandate, NYSERDA provides aid to determine the electric power available and for purchasing chargers. NYSERDA tries to ensure that cost is not a barrier to school bus electrification.
3) Reliability of an electric bus. Electric school buses are already being used around the county. While they have shorter range than diesel buses, they can still handle city routes, run in the winter, and even cover long countryside routes with mid-day charging.
As with any vehicle, the reliability of the bus will also depend on the brand. Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) bought electric buses from Proterra, which went bankrupt shortly afterwards, leaving TCAT unable to maintain its buses. Newfield school district, however, is very happy with its three Thomas buses and wants to buy another. Cortland anticipates buying a Thomas electric bus.
4) Safety. Some argue that electric buses are less safe if they caught fire. Electric vehicle fires are harder to extinguish, but they are less common than gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle fires. Research by the National Transportation Safety Board found that 1,530 gasoline-powered vehichles per 100,000 were involved in vehicle fires compared to just 25 electric vehicles per 100,000.
Fire fighters know how to deal with the fires, and Cortland even hosted a demo bus for neighboring districts to see and for their fire and police departments to be trained on. Where health and safety are concerned, the diesel particulates and greenhouse gases emitted daily from a diesel bus are much greater threats to the kids, drivers, and mechanics.
5) Uncertainty. While there are discussions in NYS government to alter the mandate for all school districts to transition to all electric buses, there is no guarantee that will happen. The district needs to make progress toward meeting that mandate, and Cortland is being cautious by proposing the purchase of only one electric bus. If delayed, costs could be even higher later. While electric school buses will be new to Cortland, they should soon be quite commonplace.
You can view a brief video from Cortland Supervisor of School Transportation Jordon Lilley with more information or read the FAQs on electric buses from NYSERDA.
Voting is on May 20 from 11 am - 8 pm at the Kaufman Center, Virgil Town Hall, and the Cortlandville Municipal Garage.