From Newsgroup: rec.aviation.military

from https://www.foxbusiness.com/energy/new-york-parents-say-kids-freeze-mandated-electric-school-buses-during-brutal-winter-weather

New York parents say kids 'freeze' on mandated electric school buses
during brutal winter weather
Parents report children coming home cold after drivers told heating
'drains the battery capacity'
Andrea Margolis By Andrea Margolis FOXBusiness

Parents in western New York are raising alarms over cold rides and
breakdowns after officials mandated that all school bus purchases must
be electric by 2027.

Local outlet WIVB reported that the law has drawn the ire of parents in
the Lake Shore Central School District. The station received "several
calls" over the electric buses, with parents claiming that their
children are freezing when they come home from school.

Per WIVB, the district operates 23 electric buses, 24 gasoline buses and
four full-size diesel buses.

"The heaters on the bus run off the same electricity as the bus itself,"
Scott Ziobro, a local parent, told WIVB. "They were told that it drains
the battery capacity of the bus itself."

Kids getting on bus in the snow
Some students in the Lake Shore Central School District (not pictured)
have come home cold after riding buses without working heat. (iStock /
iStock)

Several parents told the outlet that they heard of at least one instance
of the buses breaking down, in addition to the heating issues.

Chris Lampman, a concerned parent, claimed that a bus "broke down en route."

"They deployed a substitute bus, and the bus was more than 30 minutes
late," said Lampman. "My son stood outside for over 35 minutes waiting
for a bus that wasnrCOt coming."

"Some of those kids are on there for upwards of a half hour or more
while the bus makes its route," he added. "There's no reason that the
kids should freeze for all that time."

Local grandmother Lynn Urbino told WIVB that she was horrified when her grandson told her that his bus didn't have its heat on.

Bus driving in the snow
Parents in western New York have reported heating issues and delays with
newly mandated electric school buses. (iStock / iStock)

"My grandson came home from school last week when it was 23 degrees,"
Urbino said. "He said they didnrCOt have heat. He came in cold, and I told him, I said, rCyIsnrCOt the bus warm?rCO And he said, rCONo, they canrCOt put the
heat on because it drains the battery.'"

Superintendent Phil Johnson told WIVB in a statement that he is aware of
the complaints, and that the school district's transportation procedures require heat.

"All routes are planned so that the electric bus battery capacity is
more than sufficient to support both the route and continuous heating,
even in winter weather," Johnson said. "The district values its
transportation staff and continues to provide training and support to
ensure students and staff are safely transported."

"We appreciate the efforts of our staff as we navigate our transition to electric buses as required by NYS," the statement added.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority website
claims that electric school buses are capable of keeping heat on in cold weather.

Buses parked in the snow
Concerned parents say electric buses struggle to keep children warm, especially during extended rides in winter. (iStock / iStock)

"While battery range can decrease in cold weather, they are still
sufficient to complete operations on most local bus routes," the website
says, according to WIVB.
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