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Canutillo ISD approves purchase of six electric buses under EPA‑supported lease

Canutillo Independent School District Board of Trustees · February 25, 2026

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Summary

The board approved adding six electric buses to the district fleet using an EPA grant to cover part of the cost. Administration said the package (a 10‑year, all‑inclusive lease) would run about $12,000 per bus per year and reduce diesel and maintenance allocations; trustees discussed retrofit deadlines for older buses and the district's continued reliance on diesel for special‑use routes.

The Canutillo ISD Board of Trustees voted Feb. 24 to approve acquiring six additional electric buses under a lease arrangement supported in part by an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant.

Transportation director Doctor Oscar Rico told trustees the district already operates eight leased electric buses and is seeing fuel and maintenance savings. The new six‑bus package is offered as a 10‑year all‑inclusive agreement that covers vehicles, charging stations and associated maintenance; administration said the district's out‑of‑pocket cost will be about $12,000 per bus per year over 10 years. The lessor contracts directly for metered electricity to eliminate a district utility billing burden. Trustee questions focused on long‑term vendor stability, end‑of‑term options (purchase or replacement), vehicle range and the need to maintain diesel buses for long‑distance and special‑education routes.

Rico said the district faces a compliance window related to installing three‑point safety harnesses on some older buses; manufacturer guidance indicates many buses from the 2010–2012 era cannot be safely retrofitted and will require replacement. He said roughly a dozen buses in the fleet are 2010–2012 vintage and that the compliance timeline will make replacement planning urgent. Administrators said they are pursuing additional grant opportunities and noted the district included bus replacements in past bond planning.

A motion to approve the purchase/leasing proposal was moved and seconded and passed on a recorded vote (Barnes, Borrego, Maldonado, Martinez and Rodriguez voted yes; Ortega voted no). The action authorizes using EPA grant funds to cover a portion of the EV fleet cost and directs administration to execute procurement in line with the board's approval and in coordination with legal counsel. Administration also reported it will continue grant‑writing efforts to replace additional non‑compliant diesel buses and that the district will retain some diesel vehicles for travel and special‑education needs.