The Princeton Public Schools is on target to add two electric school buses to its fleet, along with a fast-charging station, thanks to a $620,000 state grant.
School district officials received a grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to buy electric school buses. The $15 million state grant will enable school districts across the state to buy 48 electric school buses.
This is not the first time that the Princeton Public Schools had sought grant funding to buy electric school buses. An unsuccessful federal grant application was made in 2022 for $880,000 to buy four electric school buses.
The price tag for two electric school buses and a fast-charging station that the district is planning to purchase is just over $1 million, but the $620,000 state grant will defray the cost. Revenue from the sale of an older school bus, plus a $40,000 federal clean vehicle credit, will further reduce the cost.
By comparison, the cost to buy two gasoline school buses is $276,000, school district officials said. But over the long term, the lower fuel and maintenance costs for an electric school bus will help to close the gap between it and a gasoline school bus.
School district officials expect to have the two electric buses in place as early as next summer. Each bus will be able to travel about 110 miles per charge. The fast-charging station will fully charge both school buses in six hours.
The purchase of two electric buses is a trial run for the school district, said School Business Administrator Matthew Bouldin. The school district is open to adding more electric school buses over time.
“We believe governmental entities can and should take the lead in modeling sustainable practices, especially when we can achieve this within our fairly strict budgetary framework,” Bouldin said.
The Princeton Public Schools worked with Sustainable Princeton to move toward its goal of buying electric school buses. Sustainable Princeton is a nonprofit group that has helped the school district achieve its sustainability goals.
“Sustainable Princeton is proud to support the school district in seeking grants and opportunities to showcase the feasibility and benefits of electric transportation,” Program Manager Jenny Ludmer said.
The electric school bus initiative is a significant step toward reducing the town’s carbon footprint and improving air quality. Exhaust emissions have been linked to asthma and other health risks.”
