JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County Public Schools is adding a new fleet of electric school buses ahead of the upcoming school year, with district leaders saying the investment will bring new technology to student transportation while helping reduce long-term costs.
Durham School Services and DCPS celebrated the rollout of 26 new electric school buses and 26 charging stations on Thursday at the Durham transportation facility.
The buses were funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program, with representatives saying the investment will provide students and drivers with a quieter ride while reducing emissions.
Paul Talarico, senior vice president of operations with Durham School Services, said the buses are designed to meet the needs of daily school routes.
Talarico said the buses can travel about 130 miles, while the average route is under 100 miles.
District leaders also pointed to potential savings over time, including lower fuel and maintenance costs compared with traditional diesel buses.
“A lot of the funding came from the EPA. They gave us a project at just over $7.7 million to cover funding for it,” Talarico said. “So that helps with cost on both sides. And long-term cost, cost to service the bus… right now with the fuel cost, electric, they are generally cheaper to repair.”
The electric buses will begin serving DCPS students during the upcoming school year.
The district currently plans to begin with the 26 buses unveiled Thursday. Officials said they are not able to share additional details at this time about whether more electric buses will be added in the future.