WEST TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The Vigo County School Board approved the signing of a contract from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for a heavy-duty bus grant.
The grant will help cover the cost of replacing some of the older diesel school buses with electric buses instead.
The total amount for the grant was $3,920,000.00. This will help offset the costs of purchasing electric buses and end up costing the same amount as buying a new diesel bus would.
“We actually received [the grant] last January,” said Dr. Newport. “Working through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management were able to finally get the contracts in hand just last week.”
The school corporation is expected to see 7 new electric school buses this fall and 7 more in 2026.
Dr. John Newport, VCSC Deputy Superintendent says it costs 10 to 15 dollars a day to run an electric bus, but it costs 75 to 100 dollars a day to run a diesel bus.
“We’ll see a lot of savings in fuel,” said Dr. Newport. “That’s the obvious part. The other part that will see a lot of savings is the maintenance. The diesel engine, that diesel components, require a lot of maintenance for procedures that we’re not going to need to do anymore so that’s going to be a savings with that as far as the parts and labor.”
The VCSC will hold their next board meeting on October 20th at the administration building. The public is always welcome to sit in on meetings.
