Student Transportation of America Celebrates Earth Day with New EV Milestones: Expands EV Bus Program into Two New Northeast States

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Apr 22, 2024, 08:55 ET

WALL, N.J., April 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Student Transportation of America (STA), an industry leader in student transportation, safety, and fleet services, is pleased to announce the accelerated growth of its Electric Vehicle (EV) program, now stretching further into the Northeast, with the addition of two new states on its roster. Through the help of both investments and vital grant funding, STA has successfully added four EV buses to its fleet with the Henniker School District in New Hampshire and two to Ansonia Public Schools in Connecticut.

Both districts replaced higher-emission vehicles, and the buses are being added to assigned routes in the coming weeks.

"This is a great milestone to celebrate. We're not only seeing more EV buses on the road in new markets, but we're also seeing more funding, advocacy, and collaboration on the ground level," said Rachel Lane, Vice President of Electrification & Sustainability. "At STA, we've always prioritized working closely with our District partners to implement a steady—yet strategic—roll-out of EV buses. There's no 'one size fits all' approach. For these locations, we encouraged collaboration among manufacturers, municipalities, and our District partners to put the puzzle pieces together properly. Henniker and Ansonia are a testament to the impact of strong partnerships and shared goals."

Key Highlights:

Four IC buses were purchased through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean School Bus Program, a rebate competition under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and assigned to Henniker School District.
Two IC buses were purchased through the help of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) grant and assigned to Ansonia School District.
STA selected district partners in New Hampshire and Connecticut in an effort to replace higher emission vehicles in the existing fleet. Roll out will begin with six IC EV buses, with additional expansion anticipated.
STA worked with Incharge Energy, Inc., as well as local contractors, to upgrade infrastructure at each District terminal.

Each district followed its own unique path to EV adoption through state or federal grant funding. STA helped facilitate a seamless transition to EV by sourcing grant funding, assisting with vehicle purchases, managing the installation of chargers, and now overseeing day-to-day operations.

In New Hampshire, funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allowed STA to obtain from the EPA's Clean School Bus Program a financial grant up to $375,000 to cover the cost of replacing four existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. Additionally, the grant covered up to $20,000 in charging station upgrades.

Connecticut's DEEP supplemental grant program, a supplement to the Clean School Bus Program, provided STA up to $13.7 million to replace 17 existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. Ansonia was the first District selected to participate in the EV program and STA will continue to expand in the coming months.

STA's local teams and district staffing are now undergoing extensive training in each market to learn EV processes, maintenance requirements, and best practices. Lane encourages districts to educate their community on the advantages of EV, including removing exposure to tailpipe emissions, reducing noise on the road, and increasing operational efficiencies.

As these buses roll out within the fleet assignments, Lane's team will track battery life, monitor component life, and collect other key data. This information gives STA actionable intelligence into the performance of EV buses within various operating environments including urban, suburban, and rural areas.

To date, STA has replaced more than 3,500 diesel engine school buses with alternative fuel vehicles. The company has received a Green Fleet Magazine Sustainability All-Star Award for its leadership in this space. Through the help of grants, incentive projects, strategic partnerships, and investments, STA plans to continue expanding its electric bus initiative into additional markets throughout the year.

About Student Transportation of America
Student Transportation of America (STA), an industry leader in school transportation and fleet services, was founded in 1997 on the bedrock of family, community, and a safety-first mindset. Operating more than 22,000 vehicles, STA provides customers with the highest level of safe and reliable student transportation, management, logistics, and technology solutions throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company is focused on fostering a safety-driven culture that empowers its employees to feel proud of their work, delivering safe, reliable, and on-time service. Additionally, STA's commitment to positively impacting the health of our passengers and the planet is evident through its conscious decision to undertake each initiative to decrease its carbon footprint to help move the company and industry toward a greener future. For more information, please visit www.rideSTA.com.

SOURCE Student Transportation of America