Electric Buses Are Coming to Belmont

By Brian Kopperl and Roger Wrubel

With the right conditions, electric school buses (EV) can replace the familiar diesel school bus at a cost that is both financially and environmentally attractive. EV buses are quieter than diesel and healthier, too, and all the major bus manufacturers, from Thomas and Bluebird to Lion, now make them. Other Massachusetts  towns like Beverly, Dracut, and Acton already have their electric fleets in operation or on order; Belmont should too.  

The Energy Committee has encouraged Belmont schools to start a phased transition by including three EV buses (out of 10 expected total buses) in its year-end 2022 bus service procurement. To convince the schools to take that step, however, the daily contract price charged by EV buses has to be directly comparable to diesel buses. So the short answer is that EV buses can compete, not just on student health and climate protection, but also on price.

EV buses have a higher purchase price than diesel buses, plus upfront battery chargers and grid connection costs. However, lower long-term maintenance and operating costs offset higher purchase prices. The bottom line is that electric buses’ all-in daily contracted cost is directly competitive with diesel buses if those upfront EV costs are spread out over a 10-year service term. The other key ingredient for EV bus adoption is having dedicated, in-town parking where the vendor can install a charging station. In-town parking could be a challenge, but the Energy Committee believes the town can find a solution that allows for in-town parking for the proposed three EV buses. An additional benefit is that EV buses can serve as a battery resource sending electricity back to the Belmont Light grid during the summer peak hours.  

The first item of business, however, is to authorize the schools to enter into 10-year EV bus contracts to amortize those upfront costs. Under current state procurement law (MGL 30B, section 12), all municipal contracts are limited to a maximum three-year term unless Town Meeting approves an extension. This  fall’s Town Meeting is expected to vote on a warrant article that would authorize a term extension for future EV bus contracts. We encourage Town Meeting members to approve longer EV bus contract terms as part of Belmont’s commitment to meeting our climate action goals that already have been approved. Not approving and supporting the change will keep us stuck on fossil fuels and will be detrimental to our health and the environment (see August/September 2021 BCF Newsletter story, “Help Belmont Students Breathe Easier.” Electric buses are part of the future for Belmont and surrounding towns, and we will all be better off for it. 

Roger Wrubel is a Town Meeting and Energy Committee member. Brian Kopperl is an Energy Committee member.