Staunton, VA, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Augusta County Public Schools in Virginia has engaged Secure Solar Futures, a provider of on-site clean energy and electric transportation to schools, to assist in launching a vanpool program using plug-in electric passenger vans. The program has allowed the schools to shorten long bus routes and provide students with a shorter ride to and from campus each school day.
In a pilot program starting in October, Secure Solar Futures provided two Ford E-Transit Passenger Vans to the schools under a five-year lease. With a maximum capacity of 10 passengers each, the vans are approved to carry students when operated by a driver with a standard driver’s license rather than the Commercial Driver’s License required to operate a school bus. This has allowed the schools to tap into a pool of potential drivers beyond the limited supply of professional bus drivers that is currently experiencing a shortage across the United States.
“Because the vans are smaller than a school bus, they can be driven by any school employee with a good driving record,” said Dr. Nick Nycum, Director of Transportation for Augusta County Public Schools. “So, we recruited two teacher’s aides to drive the e-vans. In exchange for a free commute to work and a stipend, the aides agreed to drive 6-8 students to and from school each day. After a month of operation, the program is running very smoothly.”
The vanpool program has shortened two of ACPS’s longer rural bus routes by 40 and 61 miles round trip, respectively. This has saved 1.5 to 2 hours per day commuting time for two groups of students, both those riding the new vans as well as those continuing to ride the yellow school buses. Driving shorter routes while running the vans on electric power has saved more than $1,000 in fuel in the program’s first month of operation alone.
Like school districts across the United States, ACPS has faced a shortage of professional school bus drivers, requiring the schools to consolidate bus routes, which has led to longer commuting times for students. Nationally, the number of school bus drivers fell by 15% between 2019 and 2023, a loss of some 29,000 drivers, according to Bloomberg News, which also reported that 91% of school leaders reported significant operational challenges in transportation this year. Experts expect the driver shortage to continue, caused largely by after-effects of Covid school shutdowns. That caused many professional drivers to leave the field, which offers primarily part-time work, to take full-time jobs elsewhere. Short on bus drivers with a CDL, schools nationwide are finding other solutions, including engaging educational staff to drive smaller vehicles, as in the ACPS vanpool program.
“The vanpool program is our latest solution to cut commute times for our students,” said ACPS Superintendent Dr. Eric Bond. “The less time they spend on the bus in the morning, the more focused students can be on their classwork. And the sooner they get home in the afternoon, the more time they have for after-school activities and to spend time with their families.”
Secure Solar Futures helped ACPS set up the vanpool program using electric vehicles that can be powered by 3.7 megawatts of solar energy systems that the company had previously installed at seven ACPS campuses.
“Ideally, running electric vans with solar power generated on campus would give students a completely clean ride,” said Secure Solar Futures CEO Macon Rich. “Augusta County Schools has been leaders in going solar and now they are pioneering a solution to the bus driver shortage that could be a model for other schools around the country.”
The two E-Transit vans were acquired through Model 1 Commercial Vehicles, the nation’s largest bus and transportation services dealer. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the company operates 23 dealer locations throughout the U.S. and employs more than 550 professionals. “We are grateful to Model 1 for providing us the electric vans, adapting them to student transportation, and delivering the vehicles on time and on budget,” said Rich.
Secure Solar Futures installed EV chargers at the homes of the two drivers to charge the vehicles overnight to their full 120-mile range, which is more than double the mileage needed to cover each route. Secure Solar Futures also installed a charger on each campus that was selected as a destination for the vanpool, Stuarts Draft High School and Churchville Elementary School, where the vehicles can be recharged during the day before the afternoon run to take the students home.
“It’s a plus that the electric vans are cheaper to operate than gasoline or diesel vehicles,” said ACPS Transportation Director Nycum. “The EVs also run cleaner and quieter, promoting the health of both the students and the drivers, who have given the e-vans high marks. It’s a win-win solution for students, parents, and drivers alike.”
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