Sure, Juneau’s Capital Transit public electric ‘test bus’ didn’t shake out that way that we were expecting. Issues with Proterra as a supportive business partner plagued the project from early on and led to a temporary stalling out of the electrification our public fleet.

Despite what many consider a failure, valuable lessons have been learned. That’s what these situations are supposed to offer – lessons and learning. As a community we can now move ahead better informed, learning from the lessons that the Proterra experiment has offered us.

“It’s reasonable when you’re an early adopter to expect that there are going to be some kinks and some problems with a newer technology. And that’s what happened,” Koch said.

Denise Koch, Juneau’s Deputy Director of Engineering & Public Works

In October, the city moved forward with purchase of seven new buses using funding from the Federal Transit Administration. But this time CBJ has opted for Gillig, the manufacturer that makes Capital Transit’s diesel fleet. Much of the maintenance on the electric buses will be similar to the diesel fleet. Capital Transit hopes that will help prevent future maintenance delays.

Meanwhile, in a tiny town in east Texas, one school district has fully electrified their school bus fleet. Huh? East Texas? Yeah…just like with Juneau and cruise ship dock electrification, we seemed to be out in front only to find ourselves falling behind. Electrification is happening and we can ‘get on the bus’ or wait in the back of a growing traffic jam of intent and interest. The choice is ours to make.

This school bus story is inspiring! Funding is available now!

Martinsville Independent School District applied for and received a $1.6 million grant last year from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Its Clean School Bus Program — funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 — is investing $5 billion to replace existing school buses with zero-emissions and low-emissions models across the country, especially in school districts that serve rural areas or low-income students.

“What I can save in diesel and maintenance, I can almost hire a teacher or an instructional aid, or give some other benefit to my teachers,” Kimbrough said. ​“The cost savings are going to let me better support my kids.”

Keith Kimbrough, Principal at Martinsville Independent School District