Sobeida Lugo has been driving a similar route for almost 15 years.
The Compton Unified School District bus driver wakes up each morning to make sure the dozens of students she picks up make it to class safely and on time. It’s a ride that can get a bit chaotic.
“The diesel vehicles are pretty loud and can be distracting,” said Lugo. “All that noise can make it hard to pay attention to the road and students at the same time.”
With help from Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready Transport Program, the school district recently unveiled 25 new, quieter electric buses, making the bustling bus volume a problem of the past.
SCE’s Charge Ready Transport Program — a program that aims to electrify over 8,000 medium and heavy-duty vehicles by 2026 — helped provide the 25 charging ports needed to energize Compton Unified School District’s new fleet. SCE works closely with school districts to design, install and operate the charging stations as quickly and affordably as possible.
To date, SCE has helped electrify more than 380 school buses at more than 35 sites. Still to come, another almost 600 school buses at more than 30 schools have committed to making the swap.
“The bus is so quiet now you can barely tell when it’s on,” Lugo said. “It really helps me focus on the students and creates a more relaxing environment.”
Reduced noise pollution is just one benefit from the gas to green swap. This project also helps propel California closer to its goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
While school buses play an important role in the education system, as medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, they also make up 23% of all transportation sector emissions in the U.S.
The Compton School District electrified 25 of its buses and plans to electrify 25 more in the coming year.
“We know diesel exhaust negatively impacts the environment and the people breathing it because it contains over 40 carcinogens and particles that contribute to illnesses like heart disease and asthma,” said Chanel Parson, SCE director of Clean Energy and Demand Response. “It’s so helpful for the environment and the health of our communities, to electrify transportation.”
For a city smack in the middle of a densely industrial area, being a part of creating a cleaner, healthier future for its residents is especially important. And it’s another thing Compton is proud to say they are at the forefront of.
“These new electric buses are an investment in our students’ future,” said Darin Brawley, superintendent of Compton Unified School District. “Just as we are committed to sustainability, we are also committed to academic excellence, ranking No. 1 in Los Angeles County for graduation rates. Compton Unified will continue leading the way providing safe, clean transportation as students pursue their dreams.”
The 25 EVs are just the first stop on the district’s ride toward a sustainable future. Another 25 will be arriving in the next year, making the majority of their nearly 60-vehicle fleet, all electric.
“Since buses often take short trips and sit idle between them — offering the perfect time to charge — they can be the perfect candidate for electrification,” Parson said. “We still have about 3,000 spots for medium and heavy-duty buses to electrify with our Charge Ready Transport Program so if schools are interested, we would love to help them on this journey.”
For more information on SCE’s Charge Ready Transport Program, visit sce.com/crt.
