Governor Polis’ Expensive Electric Bus Plan: Ignoring Economic Reality and Environmental Trade-offs

In a move that overlooks the economic reality of energy production, Governor Jared Polis has announced a $24 million grant to support the purchase of electric school buses, under the guise of accelerating the transition away from fossil fuel engines. This decision begs the question: why force school districts to invest in expensive electric buses when the majority of electricity in the state is still generated through the burning of fossil fuels?

“It doesn’t make sense for districts to buy new diesel buses knowing they would be stuck with them and their high costs,” Gov. Polis told The Denver Gazette. “I expect this transition is rapidly catching on. We are accelerating it with these grants. In one, two or three years, it really doesn’t make sense for any district to provide a diesel bus.”

Polis argues that it is illogical for districts to continue investing in diesel buses when the costs associated with them are high. However, he fails to acknowledge that electric buses come with an exorbitant price tag of $400,000 each, compared to diesel buses which cost a mere $100,000. This stark price difference cannot be overlooked, especially when considering the already tight budgets that school districts face. The notion that all districts will transition to electric buses within the next few years is simply unrealistic and financially burdensome.

While the state claims progress with the addition of 67 new electric school buses in the near future, it represents just a fraction of the 95% of buses in need of conversion. The celebration of this small achievement seems misplaced when considering the overall scale of the challenge at hand. Electric school buses cost three to four times more than diesel buses. About 95% of school buses currently driven in Colorado are diesel engines.

Moreover, the supposed environmental benefits of this initiative are questionable at best. Although proponents argue that electric buses contribute to cleaner air, they conveniently ignore the fact that the majority of electricity production in Colorado relies on fossil fuels. By endorsing electric school buses without a corresponding shift in energy production, the state is simply shifting emissions from exhaust pipes to smokestacks.

It is also worth noting that the grant program's funding allocation seems misguided. Instead of prioritizing investments that directly impact student education and well-being, such as improving teacher salaries or reducing class sizes, the state is diverting funds to an environmentally-driven agenda. While cleaner air is certainly desirable, it should not come at the expense of investments in the classroom that would have a more immediate and tangible impact on students' education.

In conclusion, Governor Polis' push for electric school buses fails to consider the financial burden on school districts, the practicality of transitioning a large number of buses, and the questionable environmental benefits given the current energy landscape. A more balanced approach that takes into account the economic realities and the efficiency of diesel buses should be pursued, as it would allow districts to direct their limited resources where they truly matter – in the classroom.