State education officials are making a major push for getting electric school buses on Kentucky roads. 62 electric buses are on order and the first is expected to arrive in Carter County in the next month. Elisa Hanley is a pupil transportation branch manager with the DOE. She said electric buses may not be a fit for some school districts.
“The problem that we’re going to find possibly is the locations of some of these districts just won’t be able to have them because of the type of roads and the things that they have,” said Hanley.
In addition to the much higher cost for an electrically power school bus, Hanley noted there are charging station costs to consider. She added the buses are listed as having zero emissions. Funding for this pilot-like program comes from the federal EPA.
Hanley said it’s a good fit with the Commonwealth’s interest in renewables.
“We have a vested interest here in Kentucky. We’ve got the battery plants being built and then we’ve got the car manufacturers who are using those batteries.”
Hanley noted many public school districts use what’s termed clean diesel. But, she added the electric buses are emission free. Hanley said the buses are expected to arrive over time.
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