Local School Director Weighs in on Hochul's Electric Bus Proposal

All Electric Buses May Not be Right for MCS, Despite Gov. Hochul's Wish

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - Despite Governor Kathy Hochul's dream and edict that all state school buses are electric by 2035, Middleburgh Central School is not ready to enter the future.

In January 2022, Governor Hochul said she would propose legislation to shift to 100 percent electric school buses by 2035. She also said she would propose legislation to require that all new school bus purchases will be zero-emissions by 2027. When the 2022 budget was approved three months later, it included a plan to make the state’s approximately 50,000 school buses all-electric by 2035.

The state Senate then strengthened the proposal by requiring the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to provide technical assistance to school districts as they navigate the transition to all-electric buses.

Middleburgh does not have any electric buses and will not have any in the near future.

The district will be putting a bus proposition on the ballot in May asking voters to approve the purchase of three buses for up to $306,500. The district gets back 77.3 percent of the cost in state aid. 

The buses would be a 60-passenger, a 30-passenger with air conditioning, and a mini-van. None are electric.

Bill Himme, the district's director of facilities, said there are concerns in the local grid capacity if the entire fleet of 28 buses was switched to electric.

"I don't know how much the grid capacity will need to be increased in the future," he said. "What I was told by the company that did the survey for us was, if Middleburgh converted its fleet of 28 buses to electric, we would  consume most of the additional electric National Grid's current infrastructure can provide."

Mr. Himme, who came to the district about two years ago, feels electric buses have their limitations, especially in such a large (in a square area) district as Middleburgh.

"I'm definitely not a fan of them yet," he said. "Large electric buses have a range of 100 miles, small electric buses have a range of 70 miles. Our bus runs to the Albany area are over 100 miles long and they go twice a day. Some of our in-district routes are 60 miles long over some pretty hilly terrain. I'm not convinced an electric bus would do very well on our terrain."

He would be willing to test one out if offered.

"It would be great to try one out, but dealers can't get a demo for us to try because of their limited range."

He also is concerned about the initial cost of the bus and their lifespan.

"The cost of going electric is huge. The price of an electric bus is around $400,000, compared to $150,000 for our current 65-passenger buses. Electric buses have a seven-year life span, we currently operate on a 10-year replacement plan."

If a charging station was added at the bus garage, the electrical system would also need an upgrade, Mr. Himme noted.

"We'd have to add charging stations at the garage with a substantial upgrade to its electrical system. There's also many incidental things that go along with it; charging stations near our sports fields for opposing teams, training mechanics, tools, etc..."