Looking for training opportunities for electric school bus technicians? Our new database can help.
Communities nationwide are seeing the air quality, health and climate benefits of electric school buses. And with thousands of zero-tailpipe-emission electric school buses hitting the roads in coming years, it will be vital that school bus technicians have the skills and training to safely and effectively maintain the new buses. The drive system on an electric school bus differs significantly from that of a fossil fuel-burning school bus, so technicians will need to learn new skills in order to help support the transition to electric school buses.
Although electric school bus manufacturers typically offer training to bus buyers, the training content varies by manufacturer and is typically offered only once. Supplemental electric vehicle training can fill gaps in knowledge or staff turnover. Additionally, school bus technicians may need training to service electric school buses after warranty periods end.
The Electric School Bus Initiative has compiled a list of publicly available electric vehicle technician training programs in the United States to help technicians find opportunities to develop their skills. Although few electric school bus-specific training programs have been developed, many technician training programs have been developed on electric vehicles. We have included these programs in the database as many electric vehicle training concepts are extensible to electric school buses.
What types of training are available?
The Electric School Bus Technician Training Database contains both online and in-person programs across 19 states. The majority of the trainings are offered by community and technical colleges as part of certificate or degree programs; however, individual classes can be taken. The listed programs are not necessarily specific to school buses but the foundational knowledge in electric vehicles is largely transferrable.
Common training topics include high voltage safety, battery energy storage and electric vehicle propulsion. Training content differs between programs and the Description field of the database provides additional details.
Electric School Bus Technician Training Database
Looking to find a program near you? Search the interactive map below.