The Galesburg School District’s transportation provider has almost all the electric school buses it asked for under a federal infrastructure bill passed in Congress two years ago — the largest winner of such buses in the country.
First Student says as of last week, its Galesburg bus yard has received 19 of 23 electric buses, all of the chargers have been installed at their facilities, and they’re currently going through an inspection process through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
There’s just one problem: when the busses start to be used on routes, you might not be able to hear them coming.
“The vendor basically adds speakers,” said Ami Parikh, director of the EV Program at First Student. “Electric vehicles are really quiet, so they have added speakers, both in the front and in the back, to enhance the sound.”
Parikh says 23 of First Student’s 40 diesel buses will be phased out. Currently, the district runs 36 routes, and unlike traditional electric vehicles, they may lose a little bit of a charge during cold weather months, but not much, and will still be operated here.”
“We do lose (power) range, but there is a way around it,” said Parikh. ”
Parikh says First Student runs electric buses in the coldest parts of Quebec, Canada, and so far there have been no problems. She said it’s not like running an electric car like a Tesla during cold weather, where some motorists reported being stranded last winter.
Charging stations, with the help of Ameren Illinois, have been installed for each bus at the First Student bus yard. Parikh says drivers will have to undergo High Voltage training, and will have to have special tools and other equipment to work on the busses.
First Student will be reimbursed $375,000 per bus from the Infrastructure Bill.
