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First electric school buses on NYC streets in September

Posted Jun 04, 2021

New York City's first all-electric school buses are expected to hit the road in September, marking the first steps in the city's ambitious effort to fully electrify the city's school bus fleet by 2035.

By Erik Bascome | tbascome@siadvance.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The first steps in fully electrifying New York City’s school buses will be taken this September.

Thursday marked the arrival of New York City’s first electric school bus, with Logan Bus Company, which is responsible for the city’s initial order of electric school buses, announcing that five of the environmentally-friendly vehicles will hit the road this September.

The new electric school bus, equipped with light green bumpers and wheels to signify its eco-friendly nature, was unveiled at an event in Brooklyn on Thursday.

Logan Bus Company converted an existing diesel bus to now run exclusively on electricity, a move the company said could make the city’s transition to an all-electric fleet quicker and less expensive.

“If we get the word out there that the re-powers are available and that they’re a more viable cost economic option, I think we can get there quicker,” said Corey Muirhead, executive vice president of Logan Bus Company.

The electric buses take just two hours to charge and could save the city millions in fuel costs moving forward.

The new buses mark the first steps in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ambitious initiative to transition the city’s entire school bus fleet to all-electric models by 2035.

“Today we are doubling down on reducing air pollution and carbon emissions from our vehicles,” de Blasio said when he announced the initiative on Earth Day. “The clean transportation future we need is being built right here, right now.”

The transition will begin with a short-term goal of purchasing 75 new all-electric school buses in next two years, a move that’s expected to cost the city $30 million in vehicle costs, related infrastructure and staffing.

In past years, New York City’s school bus fleet had been owned by various private companies.

But starting this upcoming school year, the NYC School Bus Umbrella Corporation (NYCSBUS), an independent non-profit organization, will start managing the city’s school bus operations with a fleet of 960 buses.

“NYCSBUS is proud to be on the leading edge of this initiative and we look forward to working with our partners in the Administration, the City Council, and advocacy community to implement the Mayor’s ambitious vision,” said NYCSBUS CEO Matt Berlin.