MCPS celebrates largest school bus electrification project in the United States. The school district is on track to have 326 electric school buses by 2025 and an entirely electric school bus fleet in 10 years. Climate change and concerns about student and community health are driving school bus electrification mandates around the country, including in Maryland. The state’s Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 requires all new school bus purchases and contracts to be electric by 2025. On a typical school day, MCPS diesel buses use approximately 17,000 gallons of diesel fuel, which emit greenhouse gasses and harmful matter from tailpipes. Replacing the diesel bus fleet with electric buses brings MCPS one step closer to our pledge of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2027 and 100% by 2035.
In school year (SY) 2021-22, the inaugural set of 25 buses were delivered and operated from the MCPS Bethesda School Bus Depot. This location was selected to pilot the installation of the charging infrastructure and electric bus (EV) operation because of its proximity to the Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) substation.
In SY 2022-23, EV buses are operating from all five MCPS bus depots-Bethesda, Clarksburg, Randolph, Shady Grove, and West Farm. The lessons learned from the Bethesda depot project significantly facilitated the construction and installation of charging infrastructure and the successful deployment of EV buses throughout the County. With the addition of 61 buses in SY 2022-23, 86 buses now provide cleaner, and environmentally friendly transportation equitably to our students. MCPS is expecting the delivery of an additional 240 buses during SY 2023-24 and SY 2024-25.
Beyond the electrification of school buses, MCPS has begun replacing some of its internal combustion engine fleet vehicles with hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and electric vehicles. As of fiscal year (FY) 2023, MCPS operates 13 hybrid compact sport utility vehicles (SUV) and two plug-in hybrid SUVs. Four full electric cargo vans are on order and are expected to be delivered during FY 2024.
There are over 500 charging plugs open to the public in Montgomery County, including 100 DC Fast Chargers. Twenty-two EV charging stations are available at public parking facilities in downtown Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton. Maps of those locations are available from the Division of Parking Management. Local utilities have also installed charging at parks and other public facilities.
Check the Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center or charging station location services such as Plugshare to find an EV charger near you.
MCPS is installing charging stations at three sites; check back here for information on the progress of the projects. Email sustainability@mcpsmd.org to suggest sites that MCPS should consider for future charging station installations.
The Division of Sustainability and Compliance hosted a Sustainability Symposium on MCPS Electric School Bus Project in December, 2022. Over 340 students and staff registered to attend the webinar to learn about MCPS' rollout of electric school buses and how this project helps to reduce the harmful greenhouse gas emissions. If you missed the event, click here to watch it.
For more information about the sustainability efforts at MCPS and to learn more about the electrification of school buses and fleet vehicles, please contact the Division of Sustainability and Compliance via email: sustainability@mcpsmd.org or call 240-314-1090.
