Summary
Virginia’s Augusta County Public Schools are turning to electric passenger vans to help with the bus driver shortage. These new vans are safer, cleaner, cheaper to run, have faster routes, and are secured on a five-year lease with Secure Solar Futures.
In Augusta County, the public schools system has partnered with solar energy company Secure Solar Futures to launch an E-Van pilot program. It aims to shorten bus rides for students and is accompanied by door-to-door pickup for rural resident students. These new vans also provide safer passage as the solar-powered E-Vanpool are smaller and can navigate narrow roads more safely than traditional school buses. In addition, the E-Vans do not require a commercial driver’s license (CDL), which allows school staff to step in as drivers when needed.
There are also environmental and financial benefits to these E-Vans. Over $1,000 in fuel costs have been saved by this program in just one month, and they run on clean energy provided by solar systems located at school campuses. This reduces the district’s carbon footprint and improves air quality, making the drive healthier for both students and drivers.
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