School bus industry sings a downtrodden tune amid supply chain disruptions
Written By Kari Lydersen
A
s shortages and bottlenecks in the global supply chain continue to affect virtually every mar- ket, from food to building materials to vehicles. School districts and bus companies are dealing
with not only a shortage of school buses but also the long-haul impacts of the pandemic, including financial stresses and the challenges of navigating changed struc- tures and protocols. But these difficulties have done little to chill demand
for electric school buses and may even be driving inter- est in fleet electrification, particularly with smaller Type A buses and the newly introduced shorter Type D transit styles. Smaller buses mean less capital outlay for districts and can help handle increasingly complicated routes, as students may be attending school at staggered class times, in hybrid remote/in-person structures, or other changes from the past. The health and environmental benefits of electric buses may be more compelling than ever, too, as the pandemic increased the focus on student health, and the urgency of mitigating climate change has only become more evident after a year of devastating wildfires and storms. Incentives to be funded by the new infrastruc- ture law only add to the allure. “The supply chain, rising fuel prices, for all these rea-
sons conventional buses are just not that attractive right now. People are looking for alternatives,” said Jim Cas- telaz, founder and chief technology officer of Motiv Power Systems, which makes electric chassis for Type A builders Collins Bus and Trans Tech. “It’s like a perfect storm and the supply chain is just one more piece. [Districts] are get-
24 School Transportation News • JANUARY 2022
ting longer lead times and not sure if they can supply buses of any type. This just causes people to cast a wider net, and electric gets included in that net. If you can qualify for incentives, it becomes a pretty economical and compelling choice, it helps schools reduce toxic air quality exposure and become more sustainable for the communities they are serving.” Castelaz added that his company is seeing school
districts consider smaller vehicles as they go electric because the pandemic has caused them to spread pupils out. “We’re seeing less Type C’s and more Type A’s and [smaller] D’s delivering more personalized routes,” he explained. “Having a fleet of smaller buses provides additional flexibility. You maybe don’t want to put 60 kids on one bus. Maybe your route profile has changed, your student needs are changing. These smaller buses provide greater flexibility.” Collins Bus is providing more quotes for electric buses than ever, and smaller buses may be a particularly good fit for districts challenged with the post-pandemic economy. “The demand for Type A electric buses is growing as the funding is growing,” said Chris Hiebert, the OEM’s vice president and general manager. “Type A electric school buses are a good way for districts to start invest- ing in electric buses; Type C electric buses are generally three times the cost. Our smaller Type A school buses are ideal for inner cities, as they are easy to navigate through congested streets, and we expect the demand for Type As to remain strong.” The Lion Electric Company has similarly seen de- mand for electric buses continually increasing, and the
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