Overview
- Parents in the Lake Shore Central School District told local station WIVB their children came home cold, saying some drivers limited or shut off heat to preserve battery power.
- A parent reported an electric bus broke down en route, prompting a late substitute and leaving students waiting outside for more than 30 minutes.
- Superintendent Phil Johnson said district procedures require heat throughout trips and that routes are planned with sufficient battery capacity for both driving and continuous heating.
- NYSERDA guidance notes cold weather can reduce battery range but says electric school buses are generally capable of completing most local routes.
- The district operates 23 electric buses along with 24 gasoline and four diesel buses, funded in part by a reported $7.9 million EPA grant, as New York requires all new school-bus purchases to be electric by 2027.