Electric Bus

The South Whidbey School District Electric Bus has arrived!

Join us on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 6:00pm, before the School Board Workshop, as we unveil South Whidbey School District’s first electric bus.

Community members will have the opportunity to tour the electric bus and take a short ride.

Event Details:
When: Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Time: 6:00pm
Where: South Whidbey Elementary School: 5380 Maxwelton Road, Langley, WA 98260

South Whidbey School District is thrilled to announce the first run for the electric bus will be on the Cougar Route. Bus driver Kerry McMullen received the bid to be its first driver.

Thank you to Dan Poolman, Assistant Superintendent, who worked through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean School Bus Initiative process that provided funding to replace one of our older buses. There was an overwhelming number of applicants for the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate. South Whidbey School District is one of five Washington School districts selected for this opportunity.

South Whidbey will receive a second electric school bus in the future thanks to this Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Moving Washington’s School Bus Fleet Towards Clean Energy project. The project joined seventeen (17) Washington school districts together to fund thirty-three (33) new electric school buses.

Please direct any questions regarding this event to the district at info@sw.wednet.edu.

The bus is a International Type C-CE Electric school bus from RWC Group. The Board Approved the purchase on March 22, 2023. All information is available online on Board Docs: See https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/swsd/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=CPZL2V547CC1

Specifics of this bus are linked here: https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/swsd/Board.nsf/files/CPZPD76411FC/$file/State%20Price%20Quote%20Specificaiton%20Type%20C77%20Electric.pdf

An electric school bus will soon be coming to South Whidbey!

South Whidbey School District Selected for the National Clean School Bus Rebate Program

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Clean School Bus Initiative will provide funding over the next five years (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. Funding for the program comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and economy in U.S. history. It provides $550 billion, over fiscal years 2022 through 2026, in new Federal investment in infrastructure. This will include spending on roads, bridges, mass transit, water infrastructure, resilience measures, and broadband. The EPA solicited applications for $500 million through the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates for zero-emission and low-emission school bus rebates as the first funding opportunity. There was an overwhelming number of applicants and awards were provided nationwide. South Whidbey School District applied for the rebate, and is one of five Washington districts selected for this opportunity.

On Wednesday, October 26, 2022, South Whidbey High School student and school board representative Audrey Gmerek introduced Vice President Kamala Harris and spoke on behalf of South Whidbey School District (SWSD) and United Student Leaders at this White House event, held at Lumen Field in Seattle. The event recognized Clean School Bus recipients, including SWSD, and provided the press and invited guests with information about the federal administration’s low-emission school bus initiative. South Whidbey School District was well represented with a mix of students, parents, board directors, staff, and administrators. Superintendent Moccia is so very proud of the South Whidbey Students who spoke at the event and were interviewed by news correspondents including Jackson Murphy, Torrey Green, Kjersti Ringsrud, Audrey Gmerek, Lily Cerda, Juniper Murray. Students also had the opportunity to meet Senator Patty Murray, EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Governor Jay Inslee.

In addition to the students, Superintendent Moccia, Assistant Superintendent Dan Poolman (who wrote the application for this grant), Board Directors Brook Willeford, Ann Johnson, Joe Greenheron and Marnie Jackson, Facilities Director Jeremy Leuenberger, Communication Director Kristina Macarro, teacher Seth Raabe and parents Derek Hoshiko, and Marc and Betsy Gmerek.

Future updates to information regarding the electric bus will be posted on this page.

See additional press coverage below:

Vice President Harris Deliver Remarks at an Event Highlighting the Investments in Clean School Buses (YouTube)

Vice president, student meet at electric bus event | South Whidbey Record

VP Harris spotlights 'clean' school bus grants in Seattle

VP Kamala Harris Comes to Seattle | Northwest Newsradio

Washington Schools Receive $2 Million from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program | US EPA

VP Harris speaks about investment in clean school buses during Seattle visit

EPA awarding nearly $1 billion to schools for electric buses | KOMO

SEATTLE TIMES | Vice President Kamala Harris, in Seattle, touts electric school buses, infrastructure bill

KNKX | VP Harris announces electric school bus grants in Seattle

2022 Clean School Bus Rebates – Prioritized School Districts | EPA