Four counties, including Monongalia County, received electric school buses on Thursday. The buses were made in Charleston and distributed to the counties of Clay, Cabell, and Kanawha.
The county intends to acquire another bus with handicap accessibility soon, the Type-A Nano BEAST (Battery Electric Automotive School Transportation) is the first of its kind.
Additionally, 38 larger buses, known as Type-D BEAST, are already being production and are anticipated to reach West Virginia in time for the 2024–2025 academic year.
First electric bus delivered to Monongalia County Schools:
First electric bus delivered to Monongalia County Schools https://t.co/164HbqQaL6 pic.twitter.com/tYs6bArlXZ
— WBOY 12News (@WBOY12News) December 15, 2023
On the other hand, pupils will be allowed to travel in The Nano Beast as early as January 3. Eddie Campbell, the superintendent of Mon County, is excited about it.
According to Campbell, “I think it opens up opportunities when you can diversify and look at things differently,” “This is just another opportunity for our kids to see something and experience something maybe they haven’t before.”
However, the bus offers more than just an experience. The electric school bus manufacturer, GreenPower Motor Company, Vice President of Business Development and Strategies Mark Nestlen, believes that the new mode of school transportation could improve student learning.
Nestlen stated, “A couple of weeks ago, the transportation director from Clay County and the assistant superintendent from Wyoming County attended a conference in Dallas on transporting students with disabilities and special needs,” “Both of these counties piloted this bus and they said that their data from the pilot showed a reduced behavioral problem among special needs children who rode this electric Nano BEAST versus when they rode a conventional diesel. Part of that is the quiet and smooth ride that gave those children a much different state of mind when they get off the bus and go to school.”
These fully electric buses have a fast charge time of two to three hours and a maximum range of 140 miles under optimum circumstances. The bus drivers’ morning routine will be little simpler with the electric benefits.
Here’s some news that’ll grab your attention for sure:
- A New Era for Transportation in NYC: Electric Air Taxis Take Flight
- Proposed Chicago Ordinance Governs Installation of Electric Vehicle Chargers
Nestlen stated, “You don’t have to check the anti-freeze, and you won’t check the oil.” “There are items on [the electric buses] that you don’t need to examine because they are missing.
