Student ambassadors of Grossmont Union High School District in eastern San Diego County, California helped conduct tours of a new modern transportation center and electric school buses.
The ribbon cutting occurred on Wednesday. The students serving as ambassadors and tour guides of the event represented GUHSD’s Career Technology Education pathway students in design, engineering, and transportation. Video courtesy of Ryan Kuratomi/Media Arts Center San Diego.
“GUHSD exists to empower each of our students to build the best future, and what we’ve done with our new transportation services center is we’ve reached into the future and brought it to our students and families right now,” said GUHSD Superintendent Mary Beth Kastan via a press release.
The new 32,383 square-foot facility features state-of-the-art automotive maintenance and safety technology, and new training, bus dispatch, and administrative support offices. The facility also includes nine bus maintenance bays, a drive-through bus wash, extensive parts storage, and new tools.
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Lindsey Danner, the energy manager for Grossmont Union High School District, told her district’s green energy story at the inaugural San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) first EV Fleet Day in April. Grossmont had a fleet of 67 diesel school buses that logged 1 million miles annually to service the community. In doing so, the district used more than 182,000 gallons of diesel per year at a cost of $492,727. But as the district was renovating its transportation facility last June, the team recognized the opportunity to begin a fleet electrification process and infrastructure installation.
Using $4 million in grant funding and another $500,000 from the SDG&E Power Your Drive fleet program, the district purchased 17 electric buses as part of Phase one, which was on display at the ribbon-cutting event on Sept. 21.
Phase two will kick off next school year, when Grossmont receives another 10 electric buses, with help from the state’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project.
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