Compton Unified School District (CUSD) has introduced 25 electric school buses, marking its first step toward electrifying student transportation. The initiative also includes the deployment of 25 Tellus 180 kW DC fast chargers to support the new fleet.
The district, located in southern Los Angeles County, is rolling out 17 Thomas Built Type A and eight Thomas Built Type C electric buses this spring. CUSD partnered with electrification-as-a-service provider Highland Electric Fleet, utility company Southern California Edison, and school transportation provider Durham School Services to facilitate the transition.
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Funding for the vehicles was secured through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program, with additional grants awarded in the program’s third round. CUSD anticipates adding another 25 electric school buses in the future as part of its broader sustainability efforts.
“I can’t stress enough how vital grants like these are and the need for continued support from our partners in government at the state and federal level to fund additional grants for school districts and their transportation partners that are ready to deliver and operate zero-emission buses,” said Tim Wertner, CEO of Durham School Services.
See also: Illinois Secures Nearly $20 Million for Electric School Bus Initiative
CUSD serves more than 17,000 students across 36 sites in Compton, as well as parts of Carson and Los Angeles. The district has a high school graduation rate of 93% and an 88% college acceptance rate. With one in 11 children in Los Angeles County affected by asthma, the transition to zero-emission school buses aims to improve air quality and reduce health risks for students.