Though the buses have been in working order for a month with no issues, according to Superintendent Dr. Seth Miller, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday morning to debut the fleet.
Afterward, a lucky group of first-graders from Judith Giacoma Elementary School was given the chance to ride around the block in a new electric bus with several officials from IC Bus — the manufacturer — and First Student, as well as a few wide-eyed media personnel.
Dr. Miller opened the ceremony by speaking to the quality of bus drivers employed by First Student and their multi-decade safety record. Miller also spoke about the EPA's Clean School Bus Program — a federal grant which enabled the purchase of the electric buses for the district.
He went on to thank the school board for making "fiscally responsible decisions ... that are cleaner and greener for our students," and which prove the board's commitment to the future children of the district.
As Miller offered his opening remarks, the students stood in front of the bus, patiently waiting for their chance to climb aboard — each holding a certificate proving they were among the first to ride.
Meanwhile, the bus hummed in near-silence as driver Susan Wilson sat at the helm.
"It's quieter. It's more stable because it's newer. I think it's more efficient," Wilson said. "I personally love it. Love, love, love."
One aspect of the new buses which both students and bus drivers alike will enjoy is the energy-efficient heating and cooling system onboard. No more sweating through clothes in the summer or freezing bums on the icy leather seats in the winter.
The new buses also include a speaker system which allows drivers to speak to children over an intercom throughout the bus, as well as an up-to-date camera system, promising safer rides for all.
To support the transition from diesel to electric, Westville is utilizing First Charge, First Student's innovative above-ground charging solution which eliminates the need for trenching, or burying electrical lines, significantly reducing construction time and costs by up to 50 percent, according to First Student.
The school district and First Student partnered with Ameren, which covered the costs of the transformer needed to charge the buses daily, the installation of the transformer, and any upgrades needed on the utility-side, according to First Student.
"We applaud First Student and Westville School District leaders for their decision to electrify their school bus fleet and deliver the health, safety, and environmental benefits to their students and the broader community," said Andy Parker, Director of Clean Energy Transition, Strategy and Policy for Ameren Illinois.
For those concerned about the reliability of an electric school bus, there's no need to worry, said Kevin McNamara, Senior Director of Charging for First Student.
As drivers return to the bus station at night, crews charge up the batteries for the next day, McNamara said. Each bus is equipped with a system that allows First Student engineers to remotely monitor bus batteries and systems for any malfunction so they can send a maintenance crew out to make repairs.
"So let's say it's a cold day. The batteries all have heaters on them, so to make sure that the batteries have optimal performance, the bus will actually turn on those heaters and warm the batteries up to the correct temperature that they need to be for the bus to run," McNamara said.
Giving kids a greener, healthier future starts with cleaner air. According to First Student, replacing just one diesel school bus with an electric bus can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54,000 pounds each year.
"First Student is leading the way on electrifying America's school buses because our mission is to provide the safest and most reliable student transportation," McNamara said. "We thank our partners in the Westville School District for trusting us as we continue to improve rides for all students."
Electric buses will help the school district save money in several ways. Aside from saving on the costs of expensive diesel fuel, electric buses also mean reduced maintenance costs.
They do not require engine or exhaust system maintenance, since they have neither, and they also mean less wear on brakes due to regenerative braking — meaning every time a driver hits the brakes, the vehicle's kinetic energy, which it generates by moving, is captured and converted into electrical energy to recharge the battery, according to the EPA.
Westville may be the first district in the area to move to a fully electric bus fleet, but it won't be the last.
First Student says they have secured more than $400 million in federal funding for school districts across the country from the EPA's Clean School Bus Program. This is enough funding to secure around 1,200 electric school buses for districts across the United States.
The company currently has 390 electric school buses on the road across North America with an additional 2,000 under contract. By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, First Student estimates it will have reduced its carbon emissions by 12,550 tons. The company has committed to transition 30,000 of its diesel buses to electric by 2035.
©2024 the Commercial-News (Danville, Ill.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
