Student Transportation of America (STA) announced the accelerated growth of their Electric Vehicle (EV) program with the continued expansion of its EV footprint into the state of Vermont.

The White River Valley Supervisory Union (WRVSU) District held a press event celebrating the addition of three EV buses to their fleet. The three buses will be serving their Stockbridge, Sharon, and Newton school campuses.

Keeping Emissions Down

The electric buses will replace higher emission vehicles and were made possible through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean School Bus Program. The Clean School Bus Program is a rebate competition under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and WRVSU was awarded their grant in 2022.

“We love seeing advocacy and overall momentum grow for EV. When White River Valley approached us with the desire to enhance their fleet with electric buses, we couldn’t be more excited to support our new District partners,” said Rachel Lane, Vice President of Electrification & Sustainability.  “We’re working hand in hand to ensure the integration of the new EVs is as seamless as possible. Using our EV knowledge and industry network, we helped the District identify the right vehicles for their needs and are now navigating the infrastructure upgrades. We anticipate seeing these buses on the road in a matter of weeks.”

Keeping the Buses Rolling

STA is the district’s current transportation provider. Each school has installed InCharge chargers, and local terminal teams underwent extensive training in December to learn EV processes, maintenance requirements, and best practices.

As the buses roll out with the fleet assignments, STA’s team will track battery life, component life, and collect other key data. The information give STA actionable intelligence into the performance of EV buses within various operating environments, including urban, suburban, and rural areas.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the EV buses transporting our local students. When we applied for the EPA grant, we ultimately wanted to create a healthier environment for our students and our planet. STA has been a great partner in helping us achieve this goal,” said Jamie Kinnarney, WRVSU Superintendent. “Training went flawlessly, and we’re optimistic about the positive impact these EV buses will bring.”

To date, STA has replaced more than 3,500 diesel engine school buses with alternative fuel vehicles. The company recently earned the “Go Yellow, Go Green” honor from the National School Transportation Association. Through the help of grants, incentive projects, strategic partnerships, and investments, STA plans to expand its electric bus initiative into additional markets throughout the year.