North School District approves letter of commitment to PG&E to pursue electric buses and chargers

The North School District board voted to approve a letter of commitment to Pacific Gas & Electric on the district’s plan to acquire seven electric school buses and the necessary charging infrastructure. Ryan, the district’s transportation lead, told the board the commitment is needed to secure PG&E’s infrastructure planning and potential rebates, and to position the district for grant funding from the 0‑Emission School Bus (ZESB) program and the San Joaquin Valley air pollution control district.

“We need PG&E first in order to be able to move on,” Ryan said, explaining that PG&E will design the electrical upgrades and that its available funds are quickly diminishing. He presented cost estimates showing a 74‑passenger electric bus costs about $485,000 and that ZESB typically covers roughly $360,000 per bus. Ryan said worst‑case district out‑of‑pocket costs for buses and infrastructure could approach $1.3 million for seven buses, while more optimistic grant outcomes could reduce or eliminate that cost.

Board members asked about timelines, trade‑ins of diesel buses and projected fuel savings. Ryan said PG&E’s design and construction process would take about 18 months after contract acceptance, and that the district has retired or excess diesel buses it could trade in as part of the transition.

Chair called for the motion to approve the letter of commitment; the motion was made and seconded, and the board voted in favor. The board’s approval authorizes staff to submit the PG&E contract so the district can proceed with engineering and grant coordination efforts. Next steps include a San Joaquin APCD site visit and continued ZESB application follow‑up.