Case Studies, Reference Checks and Feedback
I interviewed administrators at multiple school districts who acted as reference accounts as my school contemplated the switch to electric buses. With their consent, I saved detailed transcripts of the conversations and below is a summary of what some of them described as the benefits and drawbacks of the switch.
Note: Throughout the course of my interviews, I learned about the economics of each individual deal, the particular geographical challenges facing each district (size, weather, etc.), and other case-specific factors. Keeping in mind that all schools and districts have slightly different profiles, many of the issues they highlighted may have been particular to them, specifically around issues of financing, grants, and pricing. If you are interested in more specific details of my research please reach out to me at CharlieDruker@GreenYellowBus.org and I can send a full report of my conversations.

I am in discussions with schools and school districts in:
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California
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Florida
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Illinois
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Massachusetts
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Oregon
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Rhode Island
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Virginia
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Vermont
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Washington
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Washington D.C.
Green Values:
In talking with schools that made the switch, the most compelling and surprisingly widespread sentiment was the notion that electric buses reinforced the core values of the schools. They all felt that their electric bus fleet was especially visible and expressed values they projected in their community and expressed in their mission statements. While these won’t be the same for every school, if your school is one that values your environmental impact and carbon footprint, transitioning to electric buses offers an opportunity to be a leader in your greater community, but also to reinforce these values to your students, faculty, parents, and alumni.

Summary of Results:
Pros:
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Every school described the switch fitting with their school’s green values and strengthening their community
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Potentially fully covered by grants (A Massachusetts school superintendent “didn’t pay a dime”)
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Removes diesel exhaust pollutants from the greater atmosphere but also the air that the kids are directly breathing
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Brand-new, high quality buses (review of the physical bus was wholly positive–see quotes below)
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Provides an opportunity to be a community leader on an important and highly visible issue (The electric vehicle designation is prominently and proudly displayed on the buses)
Cons:
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Range Anxiety- The only con was the issue that one school district superintendent dubbed “Range Anxiety.” Since the bus is more expensive to charge during peak power-demand periods, the charging requirements and bus routes have to be carefully planned out to ensure that buses are never forced to charge during the day. Field trips, sports, and after-school activities can sometimes therefore become “stressful.” This is an issue that was relevant only in the case of a very physically large school district, where bus range was an issue, since electric vehicles have less range than diesel ones.