When the Gates Chili’s two new electric buses hit the road on the first day of school, students there made history, becoming the first students in upstate New York to ride an electric bus to school! The district was the first in upstate New York to add electric school buses to its fleet earlier this year.
“Gates Chili is proud to lead the charge on zero-emissions school buses,” said Superintendent of Schools Christopher Dailey. "We're adding value for our families and taking steps to address our impact on the environment; both actions that directly reflect the Spartan Way values of respect and responsibility."
The all-electric school buses, which were manufactured by Thomas Built Buses and sold by Matthews Buses, will reduce carbon emissions and save the district money in fuel and maintenance costs. The zero-emissions school buses can go more than 100 miles per charge, and feature LED fixtures both inside and outside the bus. The buses can be charged at one of the district’s two new charging stations located at the Gates Chili Transportation and Facilities Center. The district received an approved voucher from NYSERDA to reduce the cost of the two zero-emission vehicles.
“Put simply, electric vehicles give us cleaner streets making our towns a better place to be for pedestrians and cyclists,” said Assistant Superintendent for Business Dr. Mitchell Ball. "This is a meaningful step in creating a healthier world for our students and community."
The district is in the process of purchasing three additional electric school buses with the assistance of grant funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The next of those buses is expected to arrive by the end of 2022.
