On May 23rd, Drive Clean Colorado had the pleasure of hosting our Electric School Bus Webinar: Acknowledging Barriers and Providing a Path Forward, which was sponsored by Blue Bird Buses. A need for this solution-oriented workshop had been identified given the growing interest in electric school buses the multiple funding opportunities that are currently available. The webinar identified common barriers that districts may have in adopting an electric school bus fleet, and our panel of industry leaders then met these barriers with discussion and solutions.
Panel speakers included:
- Jeff Koza | Blue Bird Buses
- Landon Hillard & Andrew Thompson | Boulder Valley School District
- Matt Goble | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
- Matt Lerman | Colorado Energy Office
- Nick Bettis | Lightning eMotors
- Paola Massoli | Microgrid Labs
- Abby Brown & Ryan Frasier | National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Vishant Kothari | World Resource Institute
- YeChan Lim & Courtney Johnson | Environmental Protection Agency
This webinar served as an all-encompassing path to success for electric school bus adoption and provided school districts with information and solutions related to ESB funding opportunities, infrastructure needs, and development in thorough discussions with fleets and government agencies. While each if our panelist brought unique knowledge and experience to the conversation, there were a few overarching takeaways that were identified:
1. Don’t underestimate Level 2 charging! Our speakers brought up the fact that L2 charging can sustain the majority of necessary charging for your electric school bus fleet.
2. Buildout your white fleet first. Starting with a white fleet can be easier due to vehicles being readily available. This allows for infrastructure buildout in preparation for a future yellow fleet as well!
3. Develop a buildout and routing plan. You can begin assessing your fleet to optimize electrification investment prior to the purchase of a bus. Steps include age assessment of your current fleet; required maintenance cost; required routes and more.
4. Begin your transition with the help of Drive Clean Colorado! We are offering one-on-one coaching for districts to make electric buses a viable option for all. Visit our website or contact emily@drivecleanco.org for more information.
