5 Questions: Guiding School Bus Fleets on the Path to Electrification

As the demand for greener and more sustainable transportation grows, school districts nationwide are looking to electric buses as a solution. But electrifying a school bus fleet is more than just buying new buses.

Fleet managers must consider charging infrastructure, route adjustments, and personnel training.

Electrifying School Bus Fleets

To help guide school bus fleets through the process of adding electric school buses your fleet, we talked with John Juniker, fleet services manager at Durham School Services, who shared his insights on the steps and challenges of switching to electric school buses.

1. What are the first steps fleet managers should take once they adopt electric school buses?

The first step in the school bus electrification process? A comprehensive fleet assessment.

"School bus fleet managers need to evaluate their current fleet's needs, such as how many buses will be replaced, which routes they'll cover, and the typical daily mileage. This process ensures the fleet selects the right number of electric buses with the correct battery capacity," Juniker shared.

Next, work closely with school district administrators, local governments, and stakeholders. This step is key to communicating the transition plan.

"Partnering with energy providers and infrastructure experts ensures smooth installation of charging stations," Juniker added.

He also stressed the importance of understanding the infrastructure timeline.

"It's not a quick process. Depending on site complexities, fully implementing charging infrastructure can take 12 to 18 months. Finally, you need to factor in budget planning. Research available grants or subsidies for electric vehicle adoption and make sure to account for potential route changes, staff training, and infrastructure upgrades," he said.

2. How do electric school buses impact daily route planning and operational efficiency, and what strategies have you employed to optimize this?

Electric school buses bring a new set of challenges regarding range and charging.

"For instance, in winter months, the range may drop due to electric heater usage. Route planning teams need to account for that by strategically incorporating mid-day charging stops," he said.

Durham uses telematics to monitor energy consumption and optimize routes, extending range through regenerative braking and efficient driving habits.

3. What challenges have you encountered regarding training drivers and maintenance personnel, and how did you address them?

Juniker emphasized that a key challenge is shifting driver and technician responsibilities.

"Drivers require specialized training on electric vehicles, while maintenance teams must upskill to handle high-voltage systems. For maintenance staff, it's a completely different skill set. Working with high-voltage systems and electric powertrains requires upskilling. We've partnered with bus manufacturers to provide hands-on training for drivers and technicians," he said.

Fleet managers can also help with “change” anxiety by involving leadership and anyone who touches the vehicles early on.

"Getting operational and maintenance teams involved from the start helped ease concerns and allowed them to familiarize themselves with the new technology," Juniker recommended.

4. What fundamental infrastructure changes are needed to support an electric school bus fleet, and how should fleet managers prioritize them?

Juniker said the priority is installing on-site charging stations.

"The installation process requires close coordination with utility companies to ensure you have adequate electricity capacity. Another critical piece is vehicle-to-charger interoperability — ensuring the buses and chargers work seamlessly together," he noted.

He also mentioned potential grid upgrades and depot redesigns.

"Fleet managers may need grid upgrades and depot redesigns to handle charging efficiently and accommodate growth," he said.

5. What key performance metrics should fleet managers monitor post-deployment to ensure the electric fleet meets expectations?

Monitoring battery health is essential to anticipate replacements and avoid unexpected downtime.

"Battery degradation is inevitable over time, so keeping an eye on health metrics allows us to make informed decisions about route changes or replacements," he added. "Tracking energy consumption per mile is crucial to evaluate how different routes and driving habits affect battery usage."

Juniker said to track the total cost of the electric fleet, including electricity costs versus diesel and bus reliability.

"We focus on uptime and reliability metrics to ensure our electric fleet performs on par with diesel buses," he added.

Wrapping Up the Ride

Transitioning to electric school buses requires strategic planning, training, and investment. From fleet assessments to post-deployment, think strategically, and you’ll be ready to roll with the addition of electric school buses into your fleet.