Lenoir County Public Schools introduced its first electric bus, a significant step towards environmentally friendly transportation for the district. The new bus will be used as an activity bus.

Interim Transportation Director Cindy Bruner explained the origins of the new bus. "The bus we have behind us is our new electric bus model that we have gotten a grant from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality," Bruner said. "It was through the Volkswagen settlement and we received this grant in September of 2022. We just received the bus last week."

The grant covered the full cost of the bus and its charging station, totaling $480,000. "The bus was $388,000 and the charging station was $92,000, and that all was covered by the grant through the DEQ," Bruner stated.

One of the primary benefits of the new electric bus is its environmental impact. "The big thing is there will be no emissions, 0% emissions," Bruner emphasized. The bus will be used locally within Lenoir County, serving various schools and students.

When asked about the concern of charging stations availability on longer trips, Bruner was optimistic. "Charging stations are being incorporated throughout the state and the United States, so there shouldn't be too big of a problem if we stay on the main roads. There are also apps that can be downloaded onto your cell phones to find those easily."

Superintendent Brent Williams also expressed his excitement about the new bus and its significance for the district. "We're really excited about this. It's a great opportunity for our district and for transportation," Williams said. He praised the transportation team for their efforts in securing the grant, adding, "It's an additional resource. It's really exciting."

Williams highlighted the importance of the zero-emissions feature for the district's overall strategy. "That's really important for us. Our transportation team sees this as another layer of resources for us. We already have diesel engines, gasoline engines, and propane power buses, and this is another layer to that."

Regarding the reception from students, Williams noted, "I think our kids are going to be excited. It certainly has the cool factor with kids. Kids want to see what the electric bus is all about. Adults do too, and it's really exciting to that degree."

The introduction of the electric bus is part of the district's broader strategic plan, which includes increasing grant-funded projects. "It's an example of hard work and progressive determination on the part of our transportation team to push forward and to get more grants," Williams said. "It represents our effort to increase grants across the board. We've doubled the number of district-level grants that we received last year, and that was up from double the year before."

The district is currently preparing the bus for its first trip, pending the installation of tags and the completion of driver training. The bus has a range of approximately 150 miles on a full charge, making it suitable for most local travel needs within the county.