Bigfork School District 38

Transportation

EPA grant pays for electric school bus

 

In November 2023 Bigfork School District acquired an electrict school bus, paid for by a $395,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. The Lion Electric School Bus has a passenger capacity of 71 students and has a battery that allows the vehicle to go up to 100 miles on one charge.

The electric bus runs on route 14 and drives a total of 26 miles a day. The electric cost for running the bus during the period December 1, 2023 until the last day of school, June 6 2024, was $475. In comparison, a diesel bus would cost around $2420 in fuel during that same time frame.

The electric bus is equipped with an extended stop arm, cameras, Onspot chains and seat belts. When Bigfork School district was awarded the grant and acquired the electric bus, we took an older bus that did not have a clean emission engine off the road to be recycled for metal.

Taking dirty engines off the road and replacing them with clean emission vehicles is a good way to help the environment.

Danny Walker

BFSD Transportation Director

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Bigfork Schools electric school bus parked in front of Bigfork high school
Members of Bigfork and Ferndale fire departments stand in front of Bigfork's electric school bus after completing a safety training on the bus.
First responders from Bigfork and Ferndale fire departments pictured in front of the electric vehicle.