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Board approves transportation plan, pursues $4.1 million in grants for electric buses and charging infrastructure
Summary
Trustees approved the 2026-27 annual transportation plan to secure state reimbursement, prioritize services for students with IEPs and McKinney-Vento needs, and pursue $4.1 million in grant funding to replace aging buses with electric vehicles; trustees raised questions about EV infrastructure and field-trip scheduling impacts.
The Banning Unified School District board on March 11 approved the district's 2026-27 annual transportation plan, a step district staff said is required to capture new state reimbursement and to access grant funds for vehicle replacement and charging infrastructure.
Director of Transportation Herrera told the board the plan emphasizes prioritized service for students with individualized education programs (IEPs), McKinney-Vento (homeless) students and youngest pupils (TK–K), and described a fleet in need of modernization: nine assigned buses with several spares, roughly 317 daily stops and average daily ridership of about 732 students. Herrera said the district is pursuing two funding opportunities (a ZESP grant and a South Coast Air Quality Management District incentive program) that could bring approximately $4,100,000 to replace up to six older buses with electric buses and install on-site charging infrastructure. Herrera said initial estimates indicate the grant could make those replacements at "0 cost to the district" if awarded.
Trustees pressed staff on operational details. Several board members raised concerns about the reliability of EV manufacturers, the capacity of local electrical infrastructure, and whether buses would meet mountainous route needs. Trustee Novellis said he was "deeply concerned" about buying buses and facing maintenance or charging challenges if vendor and infrastructure support are not guaranteed; Herrera said the grant includes onsite charging installations and staff would vet multiple vendors and consider leasing as an interim option.
The transportation plan also proposed administrative regulation changes to walking-distance thresholds (recommended 3/4 mile for TK–5, 1 mile for grades 6–8, and 2 miles for grades 9–12) to allow more efficient routing and to reduce inefficiencies from many students living outside their school-of-residence. Herrera said the change is tied to efforts to reduce duplicative routes after recent elementary boundary adjustments.
The board voted 5-0 to approve the annual transportation plan and associated actions. Trustees directed staff to return with follow-up details on EV procurement, charging infrastructure plans, and data about trips that may be shortened by routing constraints. The plan also includes steps to increase driver recruitment and training.
