Transportation director recommends against purchasing electric school buses now, citing reliability and maintenance risks

Board members and transportation staff discussed whether to include an electric school bus on a forthcoming Proposition at the March 24 Averill Park Central School District meeting. The district asked for guidance but did not vote on a purchase.

Mark Primo, the district’s director of transportation, told trustees that local districts already using electric buses had frequent reliability and charging problems and that electric buses have higher upfront and operational uncertainties than diesel equivalents. "My recommendation would be not to purchase one," Primo said, summarizing experience he and other districts have encountered.

Primo and staff cited several specific concerns: electric buses on the market often require midday charging for standard routes in Averill Park because many local runs are more than 50 miles in the morning and 50 miles in the afternoon; battery capacity drops in cold weather; batteries are sold with limited warranties and typically degrade over time; replacement battery packs cost about $65,000 each (some buses require three packs, which must be replaced together); dealers and manufacturers often provide only a one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty and longer but narrower component warranties; and local repair capacity is limited — district mechanics currently lack tooling and high-voltage training, forcing tows to dealers at significant cost when major issues occur.

Staff also described infrastructure and funding details. A fast charger cost estimate given in the meeting was about $29,960; staff said a current voucher program could cover much of the bus purchase price and that charger grants might cover $25,000, rising to about $55,000 if the district completes an electrification plan through state programs. Administrators noted, however, that this grant coverage does not include all charging infrastructure or long-term maintenance, and that insurance and garage storage, route terrain and road conditions factor into total cost and operational risk.

Trustees also discussed state-level requirements and the uncertain future of electrification incentives. Some board members expressed concern that a state mandate could force districts to electrify fleets over time but said the state timeline and enforcement mechanisms were unclear.

Ending: The board sought guidance on whether to include an electric-bus item on the ballot and whether to combine it with the district’s regular bus proposition or present it as a separate proposition. No final vote was taken; staff recommended finishing the district’s electrification plan and obtaining additional NYSERDA analysis before moving forward.