Except for hitting the occasional pothole, it’s a very quiet ride on Galesburg District 205’s new electric school buses — unlike the clatter, hiss, and rumble experienced in a diesel one.
“The only complaint I get from the parents is, we didn’t even hear you pull up,” said Cassi Harrison, a bus driver for the district’s transportation provider, First Student.
The school district’s new fleet of 23 electric buses is now rolling on city streets, thanks to a $9 million grant awarded in 2022 from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. The grant paid for the vehicles and for charging infrastructure.
The fleet was officially deployed last month, and more than 1,000 students are currently riding them to and from school. Electric buses now make up more than half of the district's overall fleet.
Harrison, who’s in her third school year as a bus driver, said it’s been a learning curve adapting to electric buses, but also exciting — and kind of like driving a new car.
She said without the roar of a diesel engine, she can hear the kids better — and they’re not screaming over the noise to hear each other.
“The kids really like it. I kept telling my kids, I was like, OK, we're going to have it next week. We're going to have it next week. And they're like, yes! And then they'd get on the bus. Ugh! Where's our new bus? Like, it's coming. It's coming. And then when I got it, they're like, this is amazing,” Harrison said.
There’s also been a bit of a learning curve for mechanics. Adam Woodside has been one for most of his life, but he doesn’t have much experience with electric vehicles.
He said mechanics and techs started studying the schematics of the new buses online before they arrived and also completed training sessions online and in person.
“As far as maintenance and things like that, we really haven’t had many issues with them. It’s still kind of a new thing, so with all new things, there’s always going to be that learning curve. But so far, as of right now, everything seems to be going pretty smooth,” he said.
In addition to being quieter than diesel, electric buses are cheaper and easier to maintain. With diesel, Woodside said they have to change the oil and fuel filters every 9,000 miles.
“It’s not going to be as in-depth as the diesels are,” Woodside said. “But we’re still learning.”
District officials and transportation partners gathered at Lombard Middle School on Thursday to celebrate other benefits of the new fleet.
“I'm immensely proud of our team for accomplishing what used to be called the future,” said Chris Coyle, area general manager for First Student. “Our top priority is to provide the safest possible way to get students to and from school each and every day so they'll arrive to the classrooms ready to learn. This also means finding ways to make school buses better, healthier, and safer."
Coyle said Galesburg’s new electric school buses will have an immediate impact on students and the community by improving air quality and reducing the carbon emissions that impact climate change.
Energy experts say replacing just one diesel bus with an electric one can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54,000 lbs. a year. That is the equivalent of 3.75 lbs. of carbon dioxide a mile, according to Dominion Energy.
Coyle said electric buses used to be a dream of the future.
“The future's here and First Student is excited about the change as well as our district partners,” he said.
Galesburg District 205 now has one of the largest fleets of electric school buses in the state.
More information about the EPA’s Clean School Bus program is available online.
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