Electric school buses roll into the Bronx, bringing cleaner air and quieter rides
The fleet includes 45 electric school buses that serve approximately 800 children and generate an estimated 4,100 student trips each week.
Electric school buses are coming to the Bronx.
GVC, a company that provides transportation services for children with special needs, recently transitioned to electric buses with support from Con Edison, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and other partners. The fleet includes 45 electric school buses that serve approximately 800 children and generate an estimated 4,100 student trips each week.
Supporters say the transition will help improve air quality in a borough that continues to experience some of the highest childhood asthma rates in New York City. According to project partners, replacing diesel buses with electric vehicles is expected to prevent the emission of nearly 1 million pounds of carbon each school year — the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by burning roughly 3,800 barrels of oil.
The project includes 23 dual-port charging stations installed at GVC's facility off Zerega Avenue. Con Edison provided a $450,000 incentive through its Medium- and Heavy-Duty Make-Ready Pilot Program to help offset infrastructure costs, while NYSERDA's School Bus Incentive Program helped fund 20 electric buses and charging equipment.
For GVC driver Christian Martinez, the transition is also personal. Martinez, who is the father of a child with autism, said the quieter buses can create a more comfortable experience for students who may be sensitive to noise and diesel fumes.
Supporters say the initiative is part of a broader effort to reduce transportation-related pollution, improve public health and expand clean-energy infrastructure in communities that have historically faced a disproportionate burden from air pollution.
