Under the advisement of the district’s Director of Transportation, Erin Eagleson, the Trigg County Board of Education Thursday unanimously approved an application to the Environmental Protection Agency for five electric school buses at $375,000 each.
Considered a highly-competitive application, Eagleson said Trigg Schools qualified as a priority district through Title IX and the Tennessee Valley Authority, but could receive anything from a flat-out denial, all the way up to $1.875 million for five vehicles — plus a $20,000 stipend per bus for the cost of an electric charging unit.
Eagleson also said it’s possible that if the district is granted five buses, it could also receive a considerable stipend for a conglomerate charging unit capable of hosting five buses at one time.
The grant does require for those four buses to be parted out, recycled, and their engine blocks drilled — never to see the road again as part of a commitment to clean energy and lowered emissions.
Eagleson said he’s noted some of the public’s displeasure of not being able to surplus these buses to the community, and relayed that — at best — busted buses typically garner between $500 and $1,800 at auction.
For equity’s sake, the EPA grant is far more valuable.
Eagleson added that the ultimate goal under his tenure is to make sure all “trip” buses for students and athletes is to have air conditioning, which can be made possible through grants such as these.
Furthermore, Eagleson revealed that the district has been approved for an $80,000 Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) grant to purchase two “clean diesel” bus models, which would roughly shave 25% off of the sticker price.
In the automotive world, “clean diesel” is best described as a fuel low in sulfurs, allowing for engines to burn with less soot, and it’s considered to be environmentally friendly.
Director of Operations Matt Ladd did make note that if the district were to be approved for these electric buses and subsequent charging stations, a small construction amendment would be required for the district’s bus garage improvements coming to the lot.
