In 2027, New York state schools will no longer be allowed to purchase diesel buses. Fleets have to be fully transitioned to electric by 2035. The law will take effect whether schools choose to use grant funding, rebates or other means to afford it.

What You Need To Know

  • Some districts in New York have voted against using Bond Act funding to begin to purchase electric buses

  • Bemus Point Superintendent Joe Reyda says the vote against the Bond Act funding would have paid for the first two of 20 buses in their fleet, and would have been a taxpayer neutral decision

  • Reyda adds that school administrators are now looking closer at other options

“We think the transition to electric school buses is a really critical initiative to help achieve the state's public health and student health goals,” said Nina Haiman, program manager with the Clean Transportation Group at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). 

Back in September, the Bemus Point community voted against taking out a bond anticipation note to purchase two electric school buses, funds that would initially come from taxpayers to cover the remaining 25% of the cost not supplied by government aid. The margin was just 11 votes.

In May, districts in Central New York did the same, and most recently, a similar outcome took place in Dutchess County.

“The district would be eligible for about $3 million in additional rebates and incentives. We thought that was a fantastic thing,” said Joe Reyda, superintendent of schools at the Bemus Point Central School District. “I really feel that the people that we talked to after the vote were very convinced that by voting no, they were sending a message to the state that this is not something that they would support. And by voting no, that either the deadlines are going to be changed or just done away with." 

Now, with the ‘no’ vote, he said the administration is exploring their options for affording buses. The Bond Act funding would have purchased the first two buses to begin transitioning their 20 bus fleet.

Haiman said there are still a number of ways to afford the transition including the N.Y. School Bus Incentive Program and the EPA Clean School Bus Program.