New Hanover County Schools beginning rollout of electric school buses next week
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover County Schools are beginning the new year with a new kind of school bus for some routes.
The electric bus will roll out when school resumes on January 2nd.
Students at Mary C. Williams Elementary, J.C. Roe Center, and Hoggard High School who typically ride Bus 422 will now be picked up in the mornings by Electric Bus 471. Afternoon bus service remains the same for students assigned to 422.
Unlike traditional buses, the electric bus operates almost silently, so the district is encouraging students to be waiting at their stop at pick-up time instead of listening for the bus’s arrival.
Parents of the affected riders will receive updates in EduLog, the portal for tracking buses.
New Hanover County Schools is one of five districts across the state with an electric bus in operation. The new zero-emission buses will reduce fuel and maintenance costs while improving air quality for students, according to the North Carolina Department Environmental Quality, which is distributing them as part of the Volkswagen settlement.
The electric bus will cover the morning route for 422 for several months before moving to another route so that a variety of drivers and riders can experience it.
NHCS will be surveying students and bus drivers to assess the environmental and health benefits.
