(Radio Iowa) – The Sioux City Community School District is rolling out new electric buses this week after receiving
almost six million dollars for 15 new buses from a E-P-A program. District Operations and Maintenance director Tim Paul admits there was some push-back from some community members who aren’t fans of electric buses.

“There was a lot of back and forth with it, but I think it’s been the right decision. Time will tell,” he says. “All this is new technology, but it’s really a growing technology, and I see it moving forward, especially in the, the city or the rural routes, maybe not so much, but the urban routes for sure.” Doug Stewart oversees the Sioux City bus department and says the first thing you notice about an electric bus is the quiet ride.

“You don’t have the diesel motor, gasoline motor, or propane motor noise. Propane are by far the loudest of the motors that we have. So all you have is the electric hum of the electric motor in the back, which is in the back by the tires, actually,” he says. Stewart showed off the buses to local media Monday. The electric buses replace older diesel ones and will make up one quarter of the district’s fleet.

“It’s much cleaner for the environment. It’s a much better experience for the driver, I’d say, more comfortable. I think it’s going to be a much better experience for the students as well,” Stewart says.

The Clean School Bus Program provided two-point-six ($2.6) billion dollars to help schools purchase zero-emission buses. Five billion was allocated by the Biden Administration, but the E-P-A says it’s reviewing the program under an executive order from the Trump administration to ensure tax dollars aren’t wasted. The Environmental Law and Policy Center says at least 46 electric school buses have been funded by federal and state money for 16 school districts across Iowa.