I’m back from a four-month break from this newsletter, excited (just like an extrovert, because I am one) to invite you to join me at two things coming up. While this is a short issue, I’ll also share my initial thoughts on how the newly elected federal government may impact our shared electric school bus (ESB) work — or not.
I’m Alison Wiley here in Oregon, an ESB, equity and inclusion geek. I’ve worked in low-carbon transportation since 2006, focusing on electric buses since 2016. Find my newsletters housed here. I help school bus fleets move forward with electrifying, both by writing this newsletter and as a consultant. This newsletter is a member of the nationwide, equity-focused Alliance For Electric School Buses, Please reply with comments, questions, jeers and things you’d like me to know.
Webinar: Choosing The Right EV Chargers For School Bus Fleets
Wed. November 20, 11 am PST | 2 pm EST
Register here
I am serving on the panel, along with Taylor Sayward from The Mobility House (TMH) and Markos Mylonas from Entegrity Energy Partners. Last year I partnered with TMH to write what I call one of my demystifying pieces, specifically about charging management systems. Even if you can’t attend, you can register and then receive the recording and materials. Charging is the hard part of ESBs, as I’ve mentioned before. School Transportation News sent out an e-blast this morning about our webinar — thanks, Ryan and Tony.
2025 and beyond? I expect school bus fleets to keep electrifying, even if federal funds for ESBs dry up, albeit more slowly. Many states and utilities were funding ESBs and charging infrastructure for years before the federal government started funding them. Many of them will continue doing that, for a variety of reasons I can go into in future newsletters. Remember that applications for the latest rebate round from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program are due Thur. January 9th. Here is EPA’s overview of this offering, and their program guide. Prioritized and non-prioritized districts alike are considered to have a good chance of landing funds.
The ESB world has always involved teamwork between liberal and conservative folks. The advocacy/education contingent, which I’m part of, does lean liberal, and many who work in and around school bus fleets do lean conservative. But politics doesn’t come up in work discussions, at least not in my experience. I’ve always experienced civility and respect from everyone in the school bus world, including when a rural reader confronted me last year, and I’ve extended the same. Going forward under a far-right federal administration, I believe our respect and teamwork will continue.
The health and well-being of kids who ride the yellow bus to school is a huge common ground. Unrelated to ESBs but related to civility and bridging the red | blue divide, I’ve been involved for years with Braver Angels. It’s a cross-partisan, volunteer-led nonprofit that brings ordinary people (like you and me) together for thoughtful dialogue. Braver Angels has chapters nationwide, and I recommend it.
Women Accelerating School Bus Electrification (WASBE) is holding its quarterly forum next month. Amy Hillman from OpConnect will be our featured speaker; she has 13 years experience in EV charging. We co-founders will send out the invitation later in November. If you’re a woman in ESBs who’s not yet on our invitation list, hit reply and ask me to add you.
WASBE Quarterly Forum
Tue. December 10th, 2024
10 am PST | 1 pm EST
link to be sent later this month
Alison Wiley (she/her/hers)Electric School Bus Newsletter
I am on the ancestral lands of the Multnomah, Chinook and Cowlitz peoples.
Whose land are you on?