California School District to Install Charging Stations

The Porterville Unified School District (PUSD), located in Tulare County, California, recently placed an order for six new electric school buses. During its Board of Education meeting on Jan. 28, the district also approved plans to install six new electric charging stations.

Set to be ready by August, the ABB Terra 54 fast charging stations will be placed at a bus yard near Porterville High School. The product’s website boasts that the average charging time for a vehicle runs between 15 and 30 minutes. The district is partnering with Southern California Edison (SCE) for the installation process.

School bus

PUSD officials have expressed that their longer-term goal is to transition the entire school bus fleet to electric models. Plans are already in the works to order four more electric buses during the next decade. The move is part of a larger PUSD initiative to reduce its power costs and utility bills by taking advantage of renewable energy sources and solar panels.

According to PUSD public information officer Jason Pommier, “That’s definitely one of the things we want to do, similar to the city, reducing the carbon footprint and moving away from some of the diesel buses. We’re always looking at ways where we can reduce costs, save money and utilize it for the students.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • North Dakota State University Completes Music School Renovation

    North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., recently announced that construction on the Challey School of Music has finished, according to a news release. The university partnered with Foss Architecture & Interiors for design and Kraus-Anderson for construction services, and construction began in July 2024.

  • UCNJ Launches $30M Modernization of Physical Education Center

    The Union College of Union County (UCNJ) in Cranford, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $30-million modernization project for its Physical Education Center (PECK), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the project’s design, transitioning the existing 42,000-square-foot structure into a campus hub for student athletics and campus life.

  • Beyond Four Walls

    Operable glass walls provide a dynamic solution for educational spaces. They align with today’s evolving teaching methods and adapt to the needs of modern learners. Beyond the functional versatility, movable glass walls offer clean, contemporary aesthetics, slim and unobtrusive profiles, and versatile configurations that cater to the evolving needs of students and educators alike.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

Digital Edition