Distributed Energy Resources, GHG Emissions - January 31, 2025
Glades County School District Adds Electric Buses to Fleet
Glades County School District (GCSD) introduced 13 industry-leading electric school buses to its fleet for the 2024-2025 school year.
The electric school buses will replace over half of the district's outdated diesel buses — some of which have been in operation for more than 25 years. The district will now benefit from the cleaner, quieter rides and cost savings that electric school buses provide. In addition, all new electric buses offer much-needed air conditioning.
The 13 Type C Vision electric-powered school buses were supplied by Blue Bird Corporation, an electric and low-emission school bus manufacturer. The company’s electric school buses generate no emissions and can carry approximately 77 students up to 120 miles on a single charge.
GCSD partnered with Highland Electric Fleets, a provider of Electrification-as-a-Service (EaaS) for school bus fleets, as its electrification partner to support its fleet modernization and infrastructure upgrades. With lower fuel consumption and reduced maintenance costs, the district anticipates substantial savings in its transportation budget. School districts have reported paying a mere 19 cents per mile in energy costs for electric buses compared to fuel costs of up to 79 cents per mile for their diesel buses.
"We're excited to celebrate the arrival of 13 new electric school buses in Glades County,” said Dr. Beth Barfield, Superintendent of Glades County School District, in a statement. “These state-of-the-art buses represent a significant advancement for our district, offering students a much more comfortable transportation experience in the extreme Florida heat. This milestone is a chance to bring our community together and recognize the teamwork and dedication that brought this project to life."
GCSD received a grant of nearly $5 million through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) highly effective Clean School Bus Rebate Program to purchase its Blue Bird electric school bus fleet. This program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) which provides a total of $5 billion over five years for clean school bus transportation nationwide.
GCSD purchased its advanced electric vehicles through Florida Transportation Systems, Inc., Blue Bird’s authorized school bus dealer in Tampa, Florida.
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