MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ first day of the 2023-24 school year is on Thursday and there will be about 20 new electric buses to pick up students.
Superintendent Jose Dotres said the total order was for 50 electric school buses. The use of electricity over diesel propulsion will help to reduce pollution.
“We are taking a huge step,” Dotres said.
The battery electric buses could have a range of over 120 miles with just one six-hour charge and carry 72 passengers. Albert Burleigh, a representative of Blue Bird Corporation, the manufacturer of the buses, said MDCPS had entered a new era of clean transportation.
“We are doing right by your students, our staff, and the community by giving them safer, healthier, quiet non-polluting buses,” said Luisa Santos, a Miami-Dade School Board member.
The buses are also cost-efficient. The diesel buses cost up to 49 cents per mile, while the electric buses cost about 14 cents per mile.
“This is a win for our community,” said Steffond Cone, the assistant superintendent of school operations.
Danny Espino, a Miami-Dade School Board member, also celebrated and said the district can do more when it comes to the “efficient use of water” and the “installation of solar panels to reduce energy costs.”
Broward County Public Schools ordered 60 electric school buses and 18 have been delivered. Both Miami-Dade and Broward public schools were still hiring school bus drivers on Wednesday. Broward had about 40 openings and Miami-Dade had about 20.
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