The Electric School Bus Initiative: A Costly Misstep for Schools

The administration of now-former President Joe Biden made a significant push to promote electric school buses in government schools across the nation. However, as these electric buses have encountered serious reliability issues, some schools are expressing regret over accepting federal funding and are seeking assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to exit the program. Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin recently wrote to the EPA, highlighting concerns about the program and requesting that penalties for not using buses provided by manufacturer Lion Electric be waived. This information comes from a Monday report by WGME-TV in Portland, Maine.

In his letter, Makin specifically urged the agency to consider legal remedies, including claw-backs of federal funding or other resources given to Lion Electric. At least six school districts have reported significant problems with the Lion Electric school buses they acquired through this federal initiative. For example, Yarmouth Schools received two electric buses that have been in operation for a year and a half but were only used a handful of times due to ongoing functionality issues. Superintendent Andrew Dolloff shared with WGME-TV that they are trying to work with Lion Electric for replacements or compensation but have made little progress so far.

Dolloff described how they would run the buses for just a day or two before encountering error messages related to engine or battery failures. Communication has also been an issue; he noted that Lion Electric does not have local staff available for bus maintenance. “We are not able to run them until those messages are cleared,” Dolloff added, highlighting a frustrating situation for the district.

This problem is not isolated; WPFO-TV in Waterville reported similar challenges faced by government schools throughout Maine. The Biden administration allocated $3 billion nationwide for this project, yet as of last fall, only $1 billion had been spent on deploying around 5,000 electric buses—costing taxpayers approximately $200,000 per bus. This price tag far exceeds that of traditional diesel school buses.

Beyond their high cost, these electric vehicles’ poor reliability raises questions about the wisdom of manipulating market dynamics through political means. While advancements in electric vehicle technology continue, many still face challenges that gas-powered alternatives do not encounter—such as difficulties charging during winter months—a particularly relevant concern for states like Maine known for harsh winters.

Despite these pressing issues and concerns from various stakeholders regarding the practicality of electric school buses at this time, Biden’s administration pushed forward instead of allowing market forces to naturally evolve technology over time. In response to federal incentives, both producers and consumers shifted toward manufacturing and purchasing more electric vehicles while overlooking existing reliability problems just to tap into those federal funds.

Now many schools find themselves wanting their money back after realizing that these electric options may not be as viable as initially promised. As communities grapple with these challenges and seek solutions moving forward, it remains essential for citizens to engage in discussions about such initiatives’ effectiveness and sustainability.

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Source: Steadfast Nation