Electric school buses are good for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, but there isn’t a lot of data on how they operate in cold rural states like Vermont.
The state's Department of Environmental Conservation just studied electric bus feasibility at three supervisory unions, and at the Marble Valley Regional Transit District.
Leigh Martin is an environmental analyst with DEC, and says the main goal of the study was to see how electric buses did during Vermont's winter as well as with elevation and unpaved roads.
“The electric buses were feasible," Martin said. "[F]or the most part we did see them as a viable option moving forward."
Martin added that there are upfront costs to consider when making the switch. But the federal government has made funding available.
The state study found that electric buses save money on fuel in the long-term, along with improving air quality and reducing emissions.
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