Dive Brief:

• California's Kings Canyon Unified School District is the first in the nation to transport students in all-electric buses.
• The district, located in the San Joaquin Valley, has four SST-e EV buses in its fleet from Trans Tech Bus that use Motiv Power Systems' electric powertrains, and their approval by KCUSD and the California Highway Patrol make them the first modern electric school buses approved in the U.S.
• Ultimately, the electric buses will drive more than $10,000 in fuel and maintenance for the district.

Dive Insight:

The introduction of these buses comes as interest in green living rising among U.S. consumers, businesses, and organizations — from both from an environmental standpoint and as a means to save money. When fuel savings and financing are factored in, the district is actually getting the buses at or below the cost of standard school buses, and the money saved in the long haul should prove beneficial to students in other ways. The Kings Canyon buses are funded in part by the California Air Resources Board's Air Quality Improvement Program, and the presence of similar programs in Chicago and New York City could potentially mean more districts will adopt the buses in the near future.