Electric buses to come to Merced City School District
MERCED, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The planned installation of 18 electric bus charging stations and the newly constructed area of the Merced City School District’s transportation department was commemorated during a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday morning.
According to the school district officials, the new area of the district’s transportation department will support a fleet of electric buses set to serve students in the Fall of 2024.
This comes as part of the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) project, which is a response to California’s added policy requiring facilities of public agencies to develop energy conservation, cogeneration, and alternate energy supply sources.
Upon conducting research and detailed estimates, the district’s officials say they received Board approval in early 2024 to enter into an energy savings contract with F&H Construction and Golden Valley Engineering.
Officials with the district say the project, inclusive of three dual port chargers, 12 single port chargers, and 10 electric buses, will provide the district with an estimated reduction of fossil fuel usage by approximately 585,008 gallons over their expectant lifecycle of 15 years, at a cost savings of around $3,159,040, as well as a total cumulative project savings of $1,668,813 over the 15-year projection.
Around $6.7 million in grant funding and rebates were awarded to support the project, requiring the district to invest no more than $1.6 million over the course of two years, officials said.
The Merced City School District anticipates beginning student transportation services with electric buses early next school year.
