Pontiac School District Opens New EV Bus Charging Station, Worked with BorgWarner

The School District of the City of Pontiac worked with Ohio-based First Student, the largest provider of school transportation in North America, to design and build a new fast charging facility for its fleet of EV buses.

The station uses chargers provided by automotive supplier BorgWarner in Auburn Hills and should allow First Student to efficiently operate 25 electric school buses that were recently awarded to Pontiac School District under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program.

“The opening of this fast-charging facility is an exciting development for the Pontiac School District,” says Kevin L. Matthews, head of electrification for First Student. “These zero emission school buses will assist in bringing cleaner air, quieter streets, and better health outcomes for the children and residents of Pontiac.”

In October 2022, the Pontiac School District was awarded nearly $9.4 million to buy 25 new electric school buses to replace older fossil fuel-burning buses under the first round of disbursements from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. This grant included $500,000 for the associated infrastructure.

The funding represented the largest award going to any school district in the state of Michigan. As the transportation provider for the school district, First Student will operate and maintain the new electric school buses, which are expected to be delivered in early fall of 2024. Additional funding for the infrastructure was provided by DTE Energy’s Charging Forward program.

“This project will impact students district wide, as the new electric buses will support numerous routes throughout our servicing area,” says Kelley Williams, superintendent of schools for the Pontiac School District. “Being able to provide a better transportation experience to our students is paramount in our mission. By creating zero emissions, reducing the noise level of the bus, and providing a comfortable ride, our students should arrive at school happier and healthier, ready to engage in the learning environment.”

The Clean School Bus Program is providing a total of $5 billion over the next five years for school bus electrification, and First Student is actively helping school districts apply for this funding. First Student has committed to transitioning 30,000 fossil fuel buses to electric by 2035.