ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVB) — As New York State moves forward with a mandate requiring all new school bus purchases to be electric by 2027, parents in the Lake Shore Central School District are raising concerns, saying some drivers may be turning down or shutting off heat to preserve battery life on electric buses.
WIVB News 4 has received multiple calls from parents in the district, which serves parts of Angola, Brant, and Derby. They say their children are coming home from school extremely cold after riding district buses.
Parents report that children have complained about freezing conditions on the buses, prompting families to send them with hand warmers.
“The heaters on the bus run off the same electricity as the bus itself,” said Scott Ziobro, a parent and former school board candidate whose children attend schools in the district. “They were told that it drains the battery capacity of the bus itself.”
According to Superintendent Phil Johnson, the district currently operates 23 electric buses, along with four full-size diesel buses and 24 gasoline-powered buses. Over the summer, the district added 20 new electric buses using a $7.9 million federal grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
District officials said all buses operate in compliance with New York State Department of Transportation regulations, including required interior temperature standards.
All parents interviewed by News 4 said they had heard reports of at least one electric bus breaking down. One parent provided photos showing an electric bus being towed.
“The bus broke down on route,” said Chris Lampman, a parent whose son was reportedly affected. “They deployed a substitute bus, and it was more than 30 minutes late. My son stood outside in the freezing cold for over 35 minutes waiting for a bus that wasn’t coming. Some kids are on the bus for more than a half hour during the route. There’s no reason they should be freezing that entire time.”
Lynn Urbino, a grandmother helping raise her grandson, said she was alarmed when he explained why the heat allegedly was not on.
“My grandson came home last week when it was 23 degrees,” Urbino said. “He told me they didn’t have heat. I asked if the bus was warm, and he said no, because they can’t turn the heat on since it drains the battery.”
The district said it is aware of questions regarding heating on electric buses during winter conditions.
“District procedures are that heat remains on for the full duration of student transportation,” Johnson said in a statement. “All routes are planned so that electric bus battery capacity is more than sufficient to support both the route and continuous heating, even in winter weather. The district values its transportation staff and continues to provide training and support to ensure students and staff are safely transported. We appreciate the efforts of our staff as we navigate the transition to electric buses as required by New York State.”
District officials also encouraged parents with concerns to contact them directly.
“Student comfort and safety remain a priority, and district operations continue to meet all applicable requirements,” the district said. “If concerns arise, families and staff are encouraged to reach out so they can be addressed promptly.”
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is overseeing the state’s transition to all-electric school buses by 2035. On its website, the agency notes that while battery range may decrease in cold weather, electric buses can still complete most local routes.
“While battery range can decrease in cold weather, they are still sufficient to complete operations on most local bus routes,” the agency states.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in Albany are pushing to roll back the electric bus mandate. Republican State Sen. Alexis Weik is sponsoring legislation that would allow school districts to decide what type of buses to purchase.
“They’re living in New York City, which is also La La Land, because this is a city-centric mandate,” Weik said. “This might work in New York City, where routes are short and infrastructure is different, but that’s not the case for the rest of the state, whether on Long Island or Upstate.”
Weik said the mandate has placed significant pressure on school districts struggling to meet the requirements.
Republican State Sen. Patrick Gallivan of Western New York is also sponsoring the bill, saying districts should have more control over transportation decisions.
“This legislation removes a costly state mandate and gives school superintendents the authority to decide whether electric buses make sense for their communities,” Gallivan said. “Given the state’s recently adopted 15-year energy plan, this issue and other all-electric mandates must be reexamined to ensure they align.”
The proposed legislation, Senate Bill S8547, has been introduced but has not yet been assigned to a committee. Sen. Weik said it could be reviewed by either the energy or education committee, or both, before moving forward.
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