AMHERST — An all-electric bus designed to reduce emissions and improve air quality is picking up elementary school students in Amherst this week.
Six months after the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District landed a $400,000 grant, the electric bus featuring rechargeable batteries is one of the first in the region. It replaces a 13-year-old diesel-powered bus.
“The district is committed to proactively searching for ways to leverage green technology, wherever possible, and is thrilled to be a part of this demonstration project,” Acting Superintendent Michael Morris said in a statement.
After getting the grant from the state Department of Energy Resources’ Vehicle-to-Grid Electric School Bus pilot program, the district purchased the bus from eLion, a Canadian company which last summer brought a test bus to town. A charging station was also installed at the Amherst Regional Middle School.
“Once the bus was inspected and insured, we began conducting a series of test drives to ensure that our drivers are fully trained in the new technology and that the vehicle performed as expected,” said Bill Glucksman, a driver and certified school bus instructor.
The program may help districts save money by cutting back on diesel fuel and bus maintenance. That, in turn, could help the schools and the state get more electric buses on the road. “It is my hope that by increasing awareness of green vehicle technology and demonstrating the benefits of switching, we can collectively create real demand and hopefully drive down costs,” Morris said.
Housed alongside nine other town-owned, full-size school buses, the four battery packs give the bus a range around 70 miles.
According to state officials, the pilot project, administered by the Vermont Energy Investment Corp., is intended to demonstrate that electric buses can reduce emissions and gas costs.
The goal is to cut down on petroleum use by about 22,680 gallons in the four districts receiving the grant. The other districts are the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District and public schools in Cambridge and Concord. There will be an estimated $96,000 in fuel savings over a decade of use and a $14,000 reduction in emissions-related repairs. Repairs to diesel engines are more complicated and costly.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
