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LAUSD Awarded 2 Electric School Buses

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — LAUSD's yellow school buses are going green.

The school district has been awarded $536,000 from the California Air Resources Board and South Coast Air Quality Management District for two electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, L.A. Unified's Transportation Services Division announced Tuesday.

"It is critical that as we replace our aging bus fleet with new safe, energy-efficient, and zero emission school buses, that we also continue to build infrastructures to support our greening efforts," said Office of Educational Services Chief Executive Officer Thelma Melendez.

Don't expect to see the buses unless you are in Central L.A. That is where they will be piloted due to a limited range of 60 miles per charge.

Earlier this month the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District unanimously approved $8.8 million for the purchase of 33 electric school buses and charging stations for school districts across the region.

According to LAUSD, more than 60 percent of the district's 1,300 school buses are alternative fuel vehicles, including 600 compressed natural gas, 100 ultra-low emission and 141 propane buses. The alternative fuel vehicles prevent more than 2,600 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

"Protecting the health and safety of our students is one of my highest priorities and greening the district's bus fleet reduces students' exposure to harmful diesel exhaust emissions," said Superintendent Michelle King.

More school districts and transit systems are considering converting to zero emission electric vehicles, including Long Beach Transit, which rolled out 10 new battery-powered electric buses last November. The $11 million electric buses achieve a driving range of 150 miles on a single charge.

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