School Districts Nationwide Make Moves To Get Electric Buses On The Road

Thousands of school buses nationwide are getting overhauled from diesel to electric.

Top manufacturers are looking to address environmental and noise concerns.

Charles Washington's part time retirement job driving a school bus has changed in the five years since he's hopped in the driver's seat.

"When you first turn the vehicle on, you don’t even know that it’s on," said Charles Washington, a bus driver for Falls Church City Public Schools.

A study found diesel fueled buses were some of the biggest carbon emissions culprits in Falls Church, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C.

It's why the school system made a move to get E-buses on the road. Districts nationwide are starting to do the same.

"Boston is a great example where we have a great partnership. They’ve got around 1,200 school buses on the road today – all Blue Bird. And they’re planning to electrify fully, but they’re rolling it out in stages," said Britton Smith, President of Blue Bird Corporation.

Company President Britton Smith said Blue Bird has more than 1,000 E-buses on the road, which can travel up to 130 miles on a single charge.

While their goal isn't turning the entire fleet electric, with some districts preferring an EPA clean energy option, addressing environmental concerns is a top priority.

Like many manufacturers, bus manufacturers said meeting the demand will take time.