Vernon to get two electric school buses as 18 to roll out across BC

Photo: Contributed

School districts around the province are buzzing over the introduction of electric school buses.

The Vernon School District will be getting two of the new buses, with the Central Okanagan getting three, and the Okanagan-Skaha and Kamloops-Thompson districts getting one bus each.

Across B.C., 13 districts will receive 18 battery-powered buses. They are expected to be in operation by the end of the school year.

The buses will provide service for about 1,300 kindergarten to Grade 12 students per day, to and from school.

“Electric school buses produce zero emissions and also support CleanBC’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by the year 2030, helping build a cleaner, healthier future for all of us,” Premier John Horgan said in a press release.

Travel on electric school buses is smoother, quieter and healthier than traditional diesel buses. Overall, electric school buses are highly efficient, produce zero carbon dioxide emissions and are much more cost-effective to operate over time, the province says.

A zero-emission electric school bus saves about 17 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, compared to a diesel bus.

“Our kids deserve a clean, healthy future, and that’s why we’re investing in zero-emission school buses in communities across B.C.,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

Electric school bus advantages include the cost of electricity compared to fuel, and fewer moving mechanical parts, which means they require fewer repairs and less maintenance.

The price for each bus is about $350,000, compared to the $150,000 average cost for an equivalent diesel school bus. The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation has allocated supplemental funding of up to $150,000 toward the capital costs.