RENO, Nev. — The Green Fleet Award winners were announced on July 14 during the Green Bus Summit Reception at STN EXPO Reno. Four districts and two contractors were recognized for their commitment to investing in clean energy and clean fuel school buses.
School Transportation News presented the awards in affiliation with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assisted in judging the nominations.
The winner of the Large Public Fleet Category (over 250 school buses) went to Boston Public Schools in Boston, Massachusetts. The district has a total of 700 school buses in its fleet, 470 of which are running on either electric, CNG, or propane.
Dylan Cahill, account executive for Safety Vision, said in his nomination of BPS that, “Boston has been an absolute leader in electrification, propane implementation and general public awareness surrounding green busing for some time now.”
He noted that in the Northeast, no district has done more to promote renewable fueling methods. He added that BPS team members, such as Jackie Hayes, director of transportation and Cian Fields, the electrification manager, are vetting partners to see would be best, as well as reviewing what practices will lend to their success and what kind of management will be required for everything to run smoothly.
“Their lofty goal of being fully electric by 2030 shows just how seriously they take their air quality and students’ experience on the bus,” Cahill added. “BPS has also partnered with WRI, a non-profit organization that assists districts in navigating utilities, purchasing, federal grants and day-to-day differences when switching from gas to electric. As a vendor in the industry, I have told several districts about WRI, based on their work with Boston Public Schools and their relationship with Jackie Hayes, BPS’s director of transportation.”
Fields, who accepted the award on the district’s behalf, said BPS is thrilled to win the fleet award. “It means so much to us,” he continued. “We’ve been working so hard — the city of Boston and Boston Public Schools. It’s a validation to so many school districts out there that you can do this, take the first few buses to electric and go for it. Connect with other school districts, use coalitions and talk to each other.”
He even encouraged other districts to call him, if they have any questions.
Meanwhile, Jordan School District in Utah is the winner of the Medium Public Fleet Category for 101 to 249 buses. The district runs 200 school buses, 135 of which run on CNG.
“Jordan School District stands as a beacon of innovation and environmental stewardship, making it a deserving recipient of the Clean Energy Award,” Logan Day, Lewis Bus Group account executive, said in his nomination.
“The decision to transition to CNG buses represents a bold and proactive step toward mitigating harmful emissions and improving air quality. By opting for cleaner fuel alternatives, Jordan School District has significantly reduced its carbon footprint, contributing to the preservation of our planet for future generations,” Day continued. “Moreover, the adoption of CNG technology not only aligns with global efforts to combat climate change but also serves as a powerful example for other educational institutions and municipalities to follow suit.
He noted that Jordan School District’s clean energy goals extend beyond fleet management. Instead, the district also empowers students with firsthand exposure to sustainable practices and fosters a culture of environmental responsibility through initiatives like curriculum integration, awareness campaigns and student engagement activities.
“In summary, Jordan School District’s extensive CNG fleet exemplifies a commendable dedication to environmental stewardship, public health and educational leadership,” Day stated. “Its efforts to reduce pollution and embrace clean energy solutions are not only worthy of recognition but also serve as a model for communities worldwide striving to create a greener, healthier future.”
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The Small Public Fleet Category (50 to 100 buses) is awarded to Roseville Joint Union High School District in California. The district has 50 buses in its fleet, including eight that run on electric and 12 on propane.
The district has the largest fleet of zero-emission school buses in Placer County. Molly Johnson, air quality specialist for Placer County Air Pollution Control District, said in her nomination that the district made the transition to electric because of cost savings and reduced noise pollution.
“In addition, the bus yard and several schools in the district are located adjacent to and have bus routes that serve low-income communities,” Johnson wrote. “RJUHSD students, staff and the low-income communities surrounding the bus yard, schools and bus routes will benefit from decreased exposure to air pollution as a result of replacing old, diesel buses with zero-emission school buses. RJUHSD welcomes the opportunity for other school districts to learn from their process.”
The last of the school district awardees, but not the least, was presented to Williamsfield Community Unit School District 210 in Illinois for the Rural District Under 50 Buses Category. Williamsfield has eight school buses, seven of which run on electric.
Susan Mudd, the senior policy advocate for the Environmental Law & Policy Center, said in her nomination that Williams started the transition to electric eight years ago when a student STEM team constructed a model of a community microgrid. She noted that Superintendent Tim Farquer ran with the idea, which resulted in school bus fleet electrification, leveraging vehicle-to-grid technology to support energy resiliency on campus. She added that with the help of grants and tax credits, the school district will have a net zero cost for its ESBs by next month.
“Since November 2023 [Williamsfield] has used ESBs for all daily routes (including in winter weather),” Mudd stated, adding that one diesel bus remains in the fleet for longer activity trips. “This small rural district is leading the way in Illinois and beyond!”
For the contracting side, Student Transportation of America was awarded the National Private Fleet Award, for the second time. Cook-Illinois Corporation took home the award for regional private fleet.
Editor’s Note: Contractors can win the award multiple times, whereas school districts can only win once.
STA has 22,000 buses, 3,500 of which are powered by electric, propane and CNG, accounting for 18 percent of the nationwide fleet. Jen Holzapfel, the public and media relations director for the company, said in her nomination that STA launched its electric vehicle pilot program to introduce electric buses to select school districts on both coasts as an extension of its long-standing commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
“STA is building a Climate Physical Risk plan to show how company assets can be impacted by climate change. This will enable STA to develop a risk mitigation plan and build resiliency,” Holzapfel wrote. “STA continues to advocate for increased EV adoption and evaluate new technologies such as hydrogen, renewable fuels, improved battery technology, and bringing electric Type As to the fleet. STA approaches each initiative with the objective of decreasing its carbon footprint and moving the industry toward a greener future.”
Rachel Lane, the vice president of electrification and sustainability for STA, added that the company is very thankful for the recognition. “We recognize that [a] green fleet is a whole comprehensive program: electrification, propane, greenhouse gas emissions, and accounting.”
Meanwhile, Cook-Illinois, operating out of Chicago, Illinois, has 2100 school buses, 363 of which operate on biodiesel, electric and propane. The contractor has been running biodiesel for the past 10 years. Karl Hamann, the fleet director for Cook-Illinois, accepted the award on the company’s behalf.
“We are always looking for new ways to be cleaner, help the environment and be healthier for our students that we transport every day,” Hamann said.
