It may seem like a contradiction to call something that’s free too expensive. However, several school districts in Michigan encountered that very reality with Lion Electric Company buses. In 2022 the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) gave out several grants for electric buses, and Pentwater Public Schools received $790,000 for two new buses along with the charging stations necessary to power them. The buses arrived in 2023, amidst a lot of excitement and gratitude for the good fortune.
“The only requirement was that we get rid of two of our old diesel engine buses," Pentwater Public Schools’ Facilities Manager Anthony Davis said. "I didn’t mind that at all because we had two very old buses near the end of their useful lives. They were 2004 and 2007 models that would not meet the current emission standards. Two brand new buses sounded great!”
Yet the school found out quickly that this was one gift they wish they could have returned. “It has been a nightmare,” Davis quipped. “I think they were made on Friday at 5 p.m. They are always breaking down. They were manufactured by a Canadian company that has since gone bankrupt, so the warranties are null and void. Repairs are challenging because parts are not available and there is no place in Michigan that can repair the vehicles.”
One positive aspect of these electric buses is that, unlike diesel buses, they start easily in cold weather. “That was never a problem. And it was not a problem to heat the bus interiors either,” Davis reported.
Another aspect of these electric buses that students found surprising was how quiet they are. “There was no engine noise in the back of the bus,” he chuckled as he recalled. “The conversations of the kids in the rear of the bus carry forward far enough for the drivers to overhear them. They are occasionally surprised to hear the driver admonish them for something they have said.”
With a fleet of three diesel buses and two unreliable electric buses, Davis had to make a decision. He contacted the West Shore ESD and the Michigan Association of Pupil Transportation and they advised him to apply for State of Michigan grants for new electric buses. Skeptical he would be awarded anything and challenged by all the paperwork involved, he applied anyway and received helpful support from the school office.
To his great surprise, Davis was awarded a grant of $817,704 for two new buses that required only a small adjustment in the charging stations to function at capacity. They are currently being manufactured in the U.S. by Thomas Built Buses and should arrive early in 2027. The state requests that the district use the buses for five years.
“Thomas has been building buses for a very long time. They have an 8-year warranty on the batteries and a 5-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the drivetrain. Service on them is available in Grand Rapids," Davis explained. "Our current electrical buses will be made available for parts to other schools still using the Lion buses.”
Pentwater's fleet covers a North and a South route that transport 60-70 students to school and home, plus a daily run to the West Shore Community College Technical Center and additional transportation for the athletic teams to sport meets.
“The electric buses will cover 100 miles on a full charge. After the morning run, we’ll put them on the chargers, and they’ll go the rest of the day without needing further charging,” Davis stated. There are five drivers, and Davis has seniority with 16 years behind the wheel.
