EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning, July 19 to celebrate 25 new electric school buses and charging stations that will be launched for the 2024-2025 school year.
SISD was one of the only 13 Texas school districts, and the only one in Region 19, to receive U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Funding in October 2022, according to a news release sent by the district.
The district received over $9 million to build charging infrastructure and replace 25 school buses with new electric models.
“SISD is the first district in the region to introduce electric school buses to contribute to a cleaner environment for students, staff and the community,” read the news release.
SISD said the buses will serve around 1,500 students in various areas of the district.
The buses will help with zero emissions in heavily congested areas. By switching from diesel gas to electric power, the district anticipates financial savings with an estimated 60 percent reduction in fuel and operational costs per bus, according to the news release.
“GA Architecture designed and Keystone Contractors and Engineers constructed the charging infrastructure. The district acquired the electric buses through A-Z Bus Sales. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, Texas 16th Congressional District, was a key proponent in SISD’s application for the EPA funding,” read the news release. “El Paso Electric also was an integral partner in supporting the district’s inclusion of the electric buses to the fleet and the implementation of the charging stations.”
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