Jeff Dowdell, PE, CEM’s Post

I am excited to share that my latest blog post has been published on School Transportation News (STN)! In this article, I explore the critical need for school districts to plan for EV infrastructure as we strive towards a zero-emission future. I delve into the challenges around costs, project timing, and ensuring that the design and charging solutions implemented are the right fit for your fleet needs. Additionally, I provide some best practices to help tackle these challenges and ensure a smooth transition to electric buses. As someone deeply passionate about creating a zero-emission future, I hope this article provides valuable insights and sparks meaningful discussions within our community. I invite you all to read the blog and share your thoughts! Let’s continue to collaborate and innovate for the betterment of zero-emission school transportation. #SchoolTransportation #Innovation #EVInfrastructure #ZeroEmission #Education #STN #Voltera #FleetElectrification

The country’s biggest electric school bus fleet in Oakland is not only transporting kids but also feeding the grid! Zūm is pioneering the concept of using electric school bus fleets as grid batteries. With a 74-bus depot, we are leading the way on bringing this innovative idea at scale. A big shoutout to Canary Media Inc. and Jeff St. John for their detailed article on this groundbreaking project. Check out the insightful article here: https://lnkd.in/gWue3aRn

Big batteries on wheels that can balance the grid. Too good to be true? Well, they already exist. They're called electric school buses. Zūm, a company providing EV school buses, will partner with Oakland Unified School District to start selling power stored in batteries back to the California utility grid when the buses are not in use. They will first use 74 EV buses to put power back into the grid, totaling 2.1 gigawatt-hours of energy annually. EV school buses are perfect additions to virtual power plants. Read the story here: https://lnkd.in/gxBJZnH4

🔌⚡ We are excited to announce the launch of a first-of-its-kind electric vehicle charging solution, First Charge. First Charge is an above-ground, trenchless charging infrastructure solution that enables a more efficient deployment of electric vehicles. 🔋 🚌 First Charge is designed to simplify the electrification process for all school districts, eliminating the need for time-intensive and cost-prohibitive trenching, even in cold weather climates. First Charge is also capable of supporting other last mile services for medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles such as dump trucks, garbage trucks and even postal/delivery vehicles. “Over and over again, school districts tell us they have had to abandon rebates and funds available to them because charging infrastructure was too costly, complex or time intensive,” First Student's Head of Electrification Kevin Matthews said. “We designed First Charge to solve that problem. It is the first truly drop-and-go infrastructure solution. First Charge allows districts to spend their time and money on operations, student safety and other essential tasks while staying compliant with state or federal electrification mandates. It also rapidly advances electrification to take advantage of the health and safety benefits that electric school buses provide to students and communities.” Read the full release on our website: https://lnkd.in/gmbBcZET

🔌⚡ We are excited to announce the launch of a first-of-its-kind electric vehicle charging solution, First Charge. First Charge is an above-ground, trenchless charging infrastructure solution that enables a more efficient deployment of electric vehicles. 🔋 🚌 First Charge is designed to simplify the electrification process for all school districts, eliminating the need for time-intensive and cost-prohibitive trenching, even in cold weather climates. First Charge is also capable of supporting other last mile services for medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles such as dump trucks, garbage trucks and even postal/delivery vehicles. “Over and over again, school districts tell us they have had to abandon rebates and funds available to them because charging infrastructure was too costly, complex or time intensive,” First Student's Head of Electrification Kevin Matthews said. “We designed First Charge to solve that problem. It is the first truly drop-and-go infrastructure solution. First Charge allows districts to spend their time and money on operations, student safety and other essential tasks while staying compliant with state or federal electrification mandates. It also rapidly advances electrification to take advantage of the health and safety benefits that electric school buses provide to students and communities.” Read the full release on our website: https://lnkd.in/gmbBcZET

School buses are becoming grid assets! These Oakland Unified electric school buses feature batteries that discharge energy back to the grid during peak demand, stabilizing infrastructure and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. https://bit.ly/4dKyq45