The Poudre School District strives to innovate across all operations, including transportation. Next year, that work will advance with two important additions.
The district will be adding two electric buses to its fleet of transport vehicles. These buses are fully funded through grant money from the Environment Protection Agency, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and Xcel Energy totaling more than $1.6 million.
“These grants…and the EV equipment it will provide are indicative of a collective commitment to preserving our environment by reducing our pollution and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Superintendent Brian Kingsley. “Partnerships like this make great things happen in PSD and in our broader communities.”
This project — a continuation of decades of dedication to sustainability — began in 2022 when the district partnered with Xcel Energy to complete a study of bus and white fleet usage. The study provided data that went toward determining where and what kinds of EV vehicles would provide the most cost savings for PSD. The district then applied to three separate grants, all of which provided the funding needed for infrastructure improvements, staff training, electric buses, and chargers.
The two 2026 Thomas Juley buses can transport 77 passengers and will be used as route buses around the district. PSD will also be installing two charging stations at Timnath Middle-High School serviced by Xcel Energy.
The district currently expects to receive the buses next September with the potential to put them into service within a month of their reception.
Members of PSD, Xcel, the Town of Timnath, PSD students, and members of the Timnath Middle-High School band gathered at Timnath Middle-High this week to celebrate this promising future addition.
“While I am a senior and I won't be able to ride these buses, sustainability is all about planting trees whose shade we will never sit in,” said Timnath Middle-High School student and member of the Timnath Navigators Beaudy Steele. “While I may never sit on these buses, it is clear to me that the future is bright for PSD students and these investments will be valuable for generations to come.”
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement 00I01600 to Highland CSB 1, LLC, an affiliate of Highland. The contents of this ceremony do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this ceremony.