Red Lake adds 2 electric school buses to its transportation fleet
Sep. 30—RED LAKE — Electrifying a school bus fleet is no easy task.
After two years of collaboration,
however, Red Lake Public Schools is partway through the process.
The district unveiled two electric school buses during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Red Lake Elementary on Friday, Sept. 27, adding to its 26-bus fleet and emphasizing
Red Lake Nation's
focus on renewable energy.
"I am very proud to be here today celebrating the acquisition and deployment of Red Lake Schools' electrical school buses," Superintendent Tim Lutz said. "As one of the larger employers in Red Lake, the district should be setting an example and leading the way with sustainable and renewable energy initiatives."
Acquiring the buses was made possible via grant funding through the
Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program,
which aims to provide $5 billion through 2026 to replace existing school buses with zero- or low-emission vehicles.
Michelle Becker, supervisory life scientist at the EPA, noted that nearly $3 billion has been awarded for bus replacements.
"School buses in the United States travel over 4 billion miles each year. They transport more than 25 million children every day, and nearly all of those buses run on diesel fuel," she said. "Red Lake is an early adopter and an eager partner in this program. We are honored to join Red Lake Nation to celebrate the deployment of the first tribal buses in the state of Minnesota."
The district received two grants totaling $790,000, which it leveraged alongside its electrification partner,
Highland Electric Fleets.
The company's CEO, Duncan McIntyre, noted that less than 2% of current school buses in the United States are electric.
"This is an incredible commitment to preserving clean air and preserving the natural resources around us," he said. "Thank you (Red Lake) for being leaders within your state and empowering others to believe that they can do this, too."
Friday's unveiling proved timely, as it took place during Climate Week, Sept. 22-29. The first day of National Drive Electric Week — Sept. 27 — also coincided with Friday's festivities.
Shannon Kessner, director of tribal affairs and diverse communities for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, emphasized public health and climate impacts of diesel buses and other modes of transportation.
"To slow the pace of climate change and reduce the worst impacts for Minnesotans, we must address the fact that the transportation sector is the single largest source of carbon emissions in our state," she said. "Reducing emissions from transportation is a tough challenge and requires all of us to make more sustainable choices in our everyday lives.
"Minnesota has a goal to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to net zero emissions by 2050. Continuing to fund electric school buses is an important part of that goal."
Kessner alluded to a
May 2024 pilot project conducted by the MPCA
that funded eight electric buses in various regions across the state. Each district to receive a bus reported its monthly mileage, energy consumption, costs, and other factors between September 2022 and February 2023.
The study found that 80% of grantee respondents would recommend electric buses to other districts depending on their circumstances. The 20% of respondents who wouldn't recommend them indicated cost as a limiting factor.
Each electric bus costs around $350,000 compared to its diesel counterpart at $150,000 per bus. Despite a higher upfront cost, Lutz noted lower maintenance costs as well as educational opportunities that the buses will provide.
"As a school district, we should be providing our students with opportunities in cutting-edge technologies such as EVs, solar panels, wind power and other energy programs that will not only keep our environment clean but also provide pathways to careers in those fields," he said. "These clean buses are something that our children and our community are entitled to and which they deserve."
The district also hopes that the buses will hold up during the winter months — a true test that will determine whether the district transitions to an entirely electric fleet.
"I'm not an expert on electric vehicles, but (Lutz) was convincing me that they're going to last forever. We shall see, right?" Tribal Chairman Darrell Seki Sr. said lightheartedly.
Following the ribbon-cutting, attendees filed onto one of the electric buses for a tour of Red Lake. The day concluded at Red Lake Elementary with lunch being provided for everyone to recharge their batteries.
"When you think about this next generation and our children, we want the best for them," McIntyre said. "(Red Lake) has the absolute best for its next generation right here."
More information on the EPA's Clean School Bus Program can be found at
