Rocklin Unified eyes electric future amid high gas prices

Rising tensions in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are continuing to push gas and diesel prices higher, adding new pressure to school districts that rely heavily on fuel to transport students every day.

The Rocklin Unified School District is among several districts in the region moving toward increased use of electric school buses, a transition leaders say will lower long-term fuel costs while reshaping the experience for students, drivers, and families.

For grandparents like Debby Wells, the difference is noticeable before the bus even arrives.

"It's very, very quiet and I have to really listen hard for it," Wells said while waiting with her grandchildren at a Rocklin Unified bus stop.

Inside the district's transportation yard, Director of Transportation Matt Hebb says the shift toward electric buses is happening quickly.

"They're all yellow, school bus yellow. Just walking up to it, it's difficult to tell the difference," Hebb said. "But the IC has the electric up on the upper part and on the nameplate on the side."

Rocklin Unified says that within the next year, electric buses are expected to outnumber diesel buses in the district's fleet.

"We're going to have over 50% electric buses, so it'll be almost all electric going around this yard," Hebb said.

District leaders say the transition is about more than reducing emissions. With diesel prices remaining volatile, officials say electric buses are also helping reduce transportation costs.

According to the district, diesel buses cost about 88 cents per mile to fuel, while electricity costs around 31 cents per mile.

Rocklin Unified says its 11 electric buses have already logged approximately 120,000 miles this year, saving an estimated $37,000 in fuel costs.

Charging the buses is also relatively simple for drivers, according to Hebb.

"When you come in to recharge, you just plug it in and it's communicating with the charger to establish connection and go ahead and recharge," he said.

The transition has also meant adapting to new technology inside the district's maintenance shop.

Senior mechanic Charlie Elias, who spent more than three decades working on diesel engines, now helps maintain the district's growing electric fleet.

"We get about a 10 to 15% less miles, but over in the hilly districts of El Dorado County, they're getting a lot less because they're using regen more going downhill," Elias said.

Elias says regenerative braking helps recharge the battery, but can also increase wear on the tires.

"When the regen activates, it basically skids the tires to turn the motor into a generator instead of a power plant," he said.

For Wells, the technology may continue to evolve, but she believes transportation systems still need to keep moving forward.

"Electric vehicles might not stay, might not be permanent. There's always alternatives," Wells said. "But we can't stay with the status quo. We have to keep moving forward."

In Rocklin, that future is already rolling through the district, one quiet ride at a time.