At the Sept. 16 South Colonie Central School District Board of Education meeting, the transportation committee reported plans to pilot a grant-funded electric bus and highlighted ongoing staffing and safety concerns, including a large number of tickets in Albany County for drivers passing stopped school buses.

Mr. Casey presented the transportation and facilities report, saying the district’s fleet logged about 734,000 miles last year, supported 326 field trips and 767 athletic trips, and that the New York State Department of Transportation inspections yielded a 98.4% pass rate. He also said the district currently has 11 open bus-driver positions.

On safety enforcement, Mr. Casey cited county citation data: Albany County issued about 3,700 tickets last year for passing stopped school buses, with October the highest month at about 580 citations. "That’s unacceptable as far as I’m concerned," he said, urging public awareness and adherence to stop-arm laws.

The district plans to accept a 24-passenger electric bus as a pilot. Dr. Perry said grants from federal and state sources brought the net cost of the test vehicle to $0; the fast-charging station for the bus also is grant-funded. District staff described the typical full-scale electric bus price at about $400,000 compared with roughly $225,000 for a diesel bus, and noted that future purchases likely will not be fully grant-funded.

Mr. Casey and other staff explained operational and maintenance considerations: the electric test bus will mainly be used for special-needs runs and shorter trips, and a full-size electric bus in the fleet would likely require midday charging to complete all routes. Maintenance currently requires specialized training and facilities; district staff said electric buses now are serviced at the Matthews bus depot in Saratoga and that EV maintenance can require two technicians because of electrical-safety protocols.

Budget and aid context: Dr. Perry said the district receives about 55% aid on transportation spending; the first electric bus and its charger were covered by grant funding, but anticipated future purchases would increase per-unit costs to the district relative to diesel buses.

The transportation report passed as part of the board’s routine reports and recommendations. On a motion by Ms. Gabriello, seconded by Mr. Larabee, the board approved the reports and recommendations 9 to 0; the motion covered multiple informational reports, including transportation and facilities updates.

Other transportation items noted at the meeting: the district is restarting a drivers training program supported by Albany County and plans a "bus rodeo" at Sand Creek Middle School on Oct. 18 to highlight driver skills and community engagement. Staff also noted progress toward hiring and training mechanics and drivers and urged community caution around buses at stops.