BEMUS POINT, N.Y. (WKBW) — Bemus Point CSD plans to be ahead of schedule for New York State’s electric school bus mandate. However, the district still needs help from the community to raise funds for that purchase.
The state requires that any school bus purchased after 2027 must be electric, and the entire fleet must also convert by 2035.
“We’re ahead of the curve because we were a surprise recipient of that EPA rebate award,” Superintendent Joe Reyda said.
Between state and national grants, the school has received $804,000 for the purchase of two of those buses, 10% of the district’s fleet, but superintendent Reyda explains they still need some help from the community.
“We still need to pay for buses all up front, and the incentives we received, took care of ¾ of it,” Reyda said. “we need $236,000, we didn’t have that laying around, so we have to go out and borrow it.”
The district hopes to make up that money by taking out a bond anticipation note and paying it back over the next 12-years, at a rate of roughly $20,000 per year.
“The best part about this program is that this is a tax neutral project for the Bemus Point community,” Reyda said. “Taxes will not be raised as a result of us purchasing these two school buses.”
On top of that, if the vote is passes, Reyda says National Grid will help them upgrade the bus garage to charge any future buses too.
“National Grid will pay for 90% of the project cost to upgrade the utilities leading to our bus garage,” Reyda said.
Voting will take place at the Maple Grove Jr./Sr. High School in the STEAM Room from 2-8 p.m.
How do local voters feel about that idea?
“I’m not in favor to be honest. Where does electricity come from? Where is electricity generated from?” Tammy Schack said.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Tom Deacon said. “I don’t believe the infrastructure has ever been there with EV vehicles to begin with… My son has a Tesla, every time he comes from Cleveland to come up here in Bemus Point, he ends having to stop in Erie to charge up, so he has enough juice to get here and be able to get half-way back home [to charge again]. I just see it as a major inconvenience.”
“I think it’s a good idea,” Lawrence Verry said. “We have a problem with the climate, and I think it’s one of the small solutions to possibly help with that.”
According to the NYS Energy Research & Development Agency. “In general, electric school buses are very safe; the risk of an ESB catching fire is significantly lower than that of a combustion-powered vehicle.”
According to the U.S. Joint office of Energy and Transportation, “Electric school buses are proven to operate effectively in cold weather; however, cold temperatures will impact their range and efficiency. School bus fleets can effectively manage these impacts by considering effective safeguards during deployment…. A 2022 study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that electric transit bus range decreased by 33% when air temperature was 25°F, a 30-degree decrease from its ideal conditions of 55°F–60°F.”
