SCS May Ask for Extension for Electric Buses

By David Avitabile

SCHOHARIE - Electric school buses may soon be required in New York State, but the mandate still does not makes sense for rural districts like Schoharie, Superintendent David Blanchard said last week.

In 2022, New York State approved a budget that included a provision that mandated that all new school buses be zero-emission by 2027, with a complete transition to electric buses by 2035.

While the technology for electric buses may improve, electric buses does not make sense for rural districts like Schoharie, Superintendent Blanchard told board members at their meeting Thursday evening.

Knowing that, the district can ask for a waiver in December, the Superintendent said.

"If we were approved for both waivers the earliest we would need to start purchasing electric buses is 2031," Superintendent Blanchard noted.

"It doesn't make economic sense for Schoharie," he added. The cost for electric buses is still extremely high and the range is still not enough for districts like Schoharie, Superintendent Blanchard said. If an SCS bus goes to Albany, the bus cannot make it back without charging up. "That's a real challenge...The technology is not there yet."

The cost for electric buses is about twice the cost of a gas or diesel bus, he noted.

Schoharie likes to be among the leaders in other areas of education, but not in this area, Superintendent Blanchard noted.

"This is not an area we want to lead on."

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In other action, board members:

* Approved the following field trips: Seventh grade trip to the FDR Presidential Library in New Hyde Park and the Bronx Zoo on October 1; the 10th grade trip to Philadelphia from October 13 to 14; and the 11th grade trip to Washington D.C. from November 10 to 13.

* Heard that the review period for the update district-wide safety plan started on September 16 and continue for 30 days. Comments and questions may be submitted prior to the October 16 school board meeting.