Akron Central Board of Education asks state for slower roll-out of zero-emission buses

Encourages public to voice their concerns

A new New York State law was passed in the 2022-23 state budget requiring all public schools to begin purchasing only Zero-Emission School Buses in 2027.

The law was created to help NYS meet the lower emissions targets of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). The requirements are that all new school bus purchases be only zero-emission by 2027 and all school buses in operation be only zero-emission by 2035.

Following extensive discussion of the implications of that law on Akron Central School District and local taxpayers, Akron Central School Board of Education members voted last week to send a resolution to elected officials requested a slower roll-out to the change over so cost, supply, and other factors can be addressed.

The resolution noted the following implications of the law as it stands:

A single type C electric bus has a projected cost beginning at approximately $400,000, and a type C gasoline or clean diesel bus costs currently begin at $142,000; and

The full replacement of Akron’s current fleet with zero-emission type A and type C buses is estimated to cost $12,500,000, significantly impacting the District’s budget, with the local community share of Akron’s tax base having to take on the financial burden and issue its acceptance by referendum approval of this increase in transportation costs.

The District is not yet capable of supporting a full fleet of electric buses, necessitating upgrades for the Village of Akron, the public power municipality in which the school campus resides, for both power supply demands and its delivery infrastructure, as both the district and village are presented with unknown costs and usage requirements or additional state direction; and

In-situational data regarding range, operations, and maintenance of vehicles is inadequate. One-time grants and funding options are limited and unsustainable. Training for drivers and local first responders is needed, agreements between districts and municipalities for charging costs and liability are missing, with a lack of consideration for vehicle availability, replacement cycles, debt service, and end-of-service life disposal; and

The Board “urgently requests that the State of New York provide increased flexibility in the implementation timeline of the zero-emission bus mandate and provide substantial support in training, planning, coordination, and financing required by the mandated transition” and seeks “an active partnership with state and federal representatives to discuss feasible and sustainable implementation strategies that will not unduly burden our local taxpayers and municipalities.”

The Board will send a copy of this Resolution to local Boards of Education throughout the Erie and Niagara region, the Governor, the NYS Department of Education, all members of the NYS Senate and Assembly, United States House of Representatives and Senate representing the families of the Akron Central School District, and to NYPERDA, the state agency tasked with creating a road map to assist with this law being instituted.

Board of Education members also asked residents to express their feelings on the implementation of the law with those same representatives, noting that the more voices heard, the more likely it is to develop a plan sustainable for all.

Signing the resolution were Erik Polkowski, President, Phil Kenline, Vice-President, Heather Cayea, Trustee, Ryan Allen, Trustee, Kristy Pingitore, Trustee, Joseph Cena, Trustee, Stephanie Coffta, Trustee, and Andrea Kiersten, Superintendent.