PUBLISHED 2:42 PM CDT Mar. 14, 2023SAN ANTONIO — Having electric school buses would be a dream come true for San Antonio ISD. Now they are just a grant away from providing more energy efficient transportation.
Ross met his wife while recovering in rehab. They both are Purple Heart veterans. His prosthetic leg hasn’t slowed him down. He’s been with San Antonio ISD for five years, and his new passion is bus driver training.He’s particularly excited about the possibility of the district getting electric buses. SAISD just applied for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Renew America’s Schools grant. Funding that would pay for nine electric buses, charging stations and solar panel awnings.
Public transportation is also changing. VIA Metro Transit is also turning to electric bus technology.VIA CEO Jeffery Arndt believes these zero emissions buses are the future of public transportation. Eight all-electric buses are joining the VIA fleet this summer. Arndt believes as demand for the technology increases, the overall cost will go down.The EPA has set aside $5 billion to replace school buses with zero emissions models. If awarded the grant, SAISD would become the first district in Bexar County to have electric school buses.