Fort Collins
PSD's two new electric buses begin carrying Timnath students
The grants covered the purchase and charging infrastructure, leaving the district responsible for electricity and maintenance. A full charge takes about three to four hours.
Poudre School District's two new electric buses carried students from Timnath Middle-High School to class for the first time Wednesday morning.
The two 2027 Thomas Juley buses can seat up to 77 passengers. They will run regular routes across the district.
More than $1.6 million in grants from the U.S. Environment Protection Agency, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Xcel Energy fully funded the project. PSD will pay only for electricity to charge the buses and any necessary maintenance going forward.
The grants funded the purchase of both buses, the charging stations and the electrical infrastructure needed to operate them, Transportation Director Dan Weaver said. PSD used multiple grant opportunities to introduce electric-bus technology while minimizing the financial impact on the district, he said.
PSD installed two charging stations at Timnath Middle-High School, and Xcel Energy services them. The stations can fully power the buses in around three to four hours.
The buses produce zero tailpipe emissions and reduce noise pollution, Weaver said. He said they could have lower fuel and maintenance costs than traditional diesel buses.
The project began in 2022, when PSD partnered with Xcel Energy to study how it uses its buses and white fleet. The study helped determine where electric vehicles would save the district the most money and which types would work best, PSD said.
The district then applied for three separate grants. They provided funding for infrastructure improvements, staff training, electric buses and chargers.