Roberts Ferry to deploy Stanislaus’ 1st electric school bus in August
Roberts Ferry School District will bring students back to classrooms in August on an electric school bus.
This will be the first electric school bus used in Stanislaus, County Office of Education Public Information Officer Judy Boring said.
In addition to environmental benefits, the bus will save the district from high gas prices.
“It’s a huge financial benefit,” Superintendent Bob Loretelli said.
The bus is funded by a $450,000 grant from the California Energy Commission, Loretelli said. Of that money, $390,000 paid for the bus, and $60,000 covered infrastructure such as a charging unit.
The district will use a charging unit that can charge the bus in 45 minutes, Loretelli said. That gives school officials the option to re-charge the bus in time for field trips, in addition to daily routes.
The bus can run 150 miles on one full charge, he said. The district’s bus route is about 110 miles a day.
Loretelli said the 70-passenger bus is all Roberts Ferry needs for its K-8 students. About 170 students were enrolled for the 2020-21 school year, according to data from the California Department of Education.
The electric bus appears similar to a normal school bus, Loretelli said, aside from its green bumper and quietness.
“You look at it, you wouldn’t know the difference,” he said.
