The Wheels on the Electric Bus Go Round and Round
Artwork by Joscelynn Best, Beaverton School District student.
It may feel too early to be talking about going back to school, but many students in the Beaverton School District will enjoy a clean, quiet ride this fall thanks to 13 electric buses in the district’s fleet.
In 2020, Beaverton School District was the first Oregon district to acquire electric school buses — two 120-mile range Blue Bird models that started running routes in 2021. Today, Beaverton has 13 all-electric buses in operation with an additional six expected in early 2024. The district has received public and private support for the buses, including nearly $400,000 in Public Purpose Charge funds for two of the buses. Beaverton has received significant support from Portland General Electric’s Electric School Bus Fund, which is funded through the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Fuels Program.
The Public Purpose Charge program, administered by the Oregon Department of Energy, is funded through the state’s two largest electric utilities, Portland General Electric and Pacific Power. The funds support energy and fleet audits, energy efficiency improvements, and, as of 2020, zero emission vehicles and chargers for Oregon schools.
Beaverton is the second district to request reimbursement for an electric bus with Public Purpose Charge funds – earlier this year, Bend LaPine Schools rolled out its first all-electric school bus with support from the program.
School buses powered by electricity reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants, reduce noise pollution, and protect the health of students, drivers, and communities. ODOE’s 2022 Biennial Energy Report shared that transportation is the state’s largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions, at 35 percent of all emissions in the state. Electrifying transportation options for Oregonians can significantly reduce emissions, especially as Oregon moves toward its goal of 100 percent clean electricity to power homes, businesses, and electric vehicles by 2040.
Several other school districts across the state have also gone electric or are in the process of ordering new electric buses. In 2022, the Oregon Department of Energy published an electric and alternative fuel school bus cost tool and guidebook to help districts interested in adding zero emission buses to their fleets. The cost analysis tool analyzes different fuel types for school buses and summarizes the estimated costs. The paired guidebook offers additional information, recommendations, and potential financial resources (like Public Purpose Charge funding). The guidebook even featured artwork by Beaverton School District students!
Thumbnail artwork by Kira Jhaveri, Beaverton School District student.