Why School Districts Say They Love Their Electric School Buses

Electric school buses are proving remarkably popular in school districts across the country. From the start of 2021 to the start of 2026, the number of electric school buses on the road increased from approximately 700 to 8,400, a 12x increase. 

And in many cases, electric school buses are heading to repeat customers: Approximately one in four school districts that have purchased a school bus have already gone back for more. Considering electric school buses have become available at scale only in recent years, and school buses typically have about a 12-year replacement cycle, that’s particularly impressive.

Why do districts love their ESBs? Here’s what they had to say:

Cost Savings

• “What I can save in diesel and maintenance, I can almost hire a teacher, or an instructional aide, or give some other benefit to my teachers. The cost savings are going to let me better support my kids.” - Keith Kimbrough, principal at Martinsville ISD in unincorporated Martinsville, Texas
• In rural Fleming County, Ky., the school district expects to save around $600,000 per year,thanks to its electric school buses, and is using those savings to give teachers a raise.
• “It now costs about three times as much on average to fuel a diesel-burning school bus annually [in 2026] than it does to power an electric bus for a year. And here in California, diesel prices are significantly higher than the national average … our electric buses are providing clean, healthy rides at a fraction of the operational cost. - Matthew Belasco, director of maintenance, operations and transportation at Pittsburg Unified School District in Pittsburg, Calif.
• “We saved so much money just running the electric bus. Now that we’re going to the [vehicle-to-everything], we’re going to save even more money." - John Wiles, transportation director for Shawnee Public Schools in Shawnee, Okla.
• Steelton-Highspire School District, in the historic steel town of Steelton, Pa., reports savings of $20,000 per month from their electric school buses, with the district’s business manager saying, “$20,000 may not sound like a lot, but to a school district like ours who have been in an operational deficit for 15 consecutive years, every penny matters to us.”
• “The more we looked, the more reasons we found to make the switch to electric. Compared to a new diesel-burning school bus, a new electric school bus can save an average of $6,000 every year on operating costs, or over $100,000 in lifetime fuel and maintenance savings – vital dollars that can instead be invested in books and supplies.” - John Ellison, superintendent at Chickasaw County Schools in Chickasaw County, Miss.

Kids' Health and Air Pollution

• “It’s great for the health of our students and staff, and, really, for our entire community. You're taking pollution off the roads; you're helping take pollution out of children's lungs." - Tysen Brodwolf, transportation director for Cajon Valley Union School District in El Cajon, Calif.
• “The school buses are cleaner, quieter, smoother and healthier for students than the old diesel models. They have no tailpipe emissions that spew harmful pollutants that can damage kids’ developing lungs and overall health.” - Linda Young, director grants and program development for Little Rock School District in Little Rock, Ark.
• “Traditional diesel buses are harmful to the environment and our public health. Diesel bus emissions release climate-changing carbon pollution into the atmosphere and cause respiratory diseases while also making existing problems like asthma even worse.” - Fairfax County School Board Joint Environmental Task Force in Fairfax County, Va.
• “The exhaust alone is such a relief to not have to worry about,” she said. “You used to go home at the end of the day [smelling] like exhaust … I already told [the transportation director], I’m taking my bus next year, I’m not giving it to anyone else.” - Nachol Trone, school bus driver at Salt Lake City School District in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• “Our electric buses are performing exceptionally well, even in South Florida’s extreme heat … Just as importantly, they’re contributing to improved air quality around our schools, which directly benefits student health and well-being.” - James Hicks, administrative director of transportation for Miami-Dade County Public Schools in South Florida.

Reliability and Range

• In Three Rivers, Mich., the transportation director for Three Rivers Community Schools reports that their electric school buses have driven exceptionally and often outperform their diesel counterparts in cold weather. They’ve found that ESBs’ heavier, more centered weight makes ESBs less likely to fishtail in snowy conditions.
• In one of the coldest parts of Colorado — with temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero Fahrenheit — West Grand County School District has operated an electric school bus since 2020 and found that the electric school bus performs extremely well. The district also says that the electric school bus is the best bus in their fleet with much lower operating costs than their diesel-burning buses.
• “Most of the winter it’s 30 to 35 below, when it’s up to 20 below that’s a good day and it’s performed extremely well… I drive it about 75 miles a day." - Bethany Aurin, director of transportation at West Grand County School District in Kremmling, Colo.
• “The geography didn’t really impact any decision making by nature of our daily routes. You get regenerative braking that not only helps braking by slowing the vehicle but also adds a small bit of range back to the bus. I’m very satisfied with the range ultimately based on what was stated and what we are getting out of them.” - Casey Ungs, director of transportation at Steamboat Springs School District in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Quiet, Smooth Rides

• “The buzzing and the humming of the engine – I feel like it has affected my hearing. With the electric school bus, it’s so quiet, you can hear so much better.” – Ron Reser, school bus driver for Shawnee Public Schools in Shawnee, Okla.
• At Shawnee Public Schools, located in rural Oklahoma about an hour east of Oklahoma City, bus driver Thomas Wondrock noticed an unexpected relational benefit of reduced noise on an electric school bus: improved communication with parents. He notes that he’s able to have more civilized conversations that leave everyone calmer and happier.
• “Our data showed that [the electric bus] reduced the disruptions on the bus. The quietness, the calming, those kids behaved better. It was amazing to see.” – Jared Fitzwater, Clay County School District in West Virginia

Grid Strength and Resiliency

• “These vehicles will be spending the summer delivering power back to the electric grid, helping to boost grid resilience and make sure Californian’s homes stay cool during the hottest months of the year — all while earning my district money in the process … [the buses are] able to generate enough energy to power an estimated six to ten homes in a single discharge session — using just one bus and one charger.” – Ernest Epley, director of transportation at Fremont Unified School District in Fremont, Calif.
• “The vehicle-to-grid … charging system turns EVs into mobile energy storage units, helping to stabilize the power grid, reduce peak energy demand, and potentially lower energy costs.” – Katie Tiger, electric school bus project manager for Cherokee Boys Clubs in Cherokee, N.C.
• In rural Williamsfield, Ill., the local school district is using V2G technology to “deliver power back to the school, supporting the schools’ overall operations while further reducing costs, especially at times of peak energy demand.”

Learn more about why districts are going electric and the benefits they’re seeing in The Electric School Bus Series.