Valley View ISD goes green with electric buses powered by a clean energy grant 

​HIDALGO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Valley View Independent School District is adding eight electric school buses to its fleet.

The district said it is leading in infrastructure and a blueprint for other Rio Grande Valley districts.

Valley View ISD said the $2.7 million milestone is powered by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program.

Valley View ISD mechanic and bus driver Rudy De Leon said he's been driving school buses for four years, but never electric buses.

"This is a little bit faster, more efficient, it is kind of nice, smooth, and quiet," said De Leon.

As for some Valley View seniors, they shared what they're most excited about. 

Student council president, Valeria De La Torre, said the bus's air conditioning is what she knows students will like the most.

"I think it is definitely the A/C because of this Texas heat," said De La Torre. "Especially in the Rio Grande Valley, there is no air sometimes, and it is so bad, we want to open the windows, but we can't. It is humid in here, with so many kids in the bus, it is so hot, but with this A/C now it is refreshing. It is so nice."

Valley View ISD Superintendent Monica Luna said this will also save the district some money in the long run.

"Not only is it providing a cleaner, safer environment for our kids, but it is also providing a very beneficial, 25% to 30% discounted rate," said Luna. "We are hoping to see that money come back into our district, so we can use it for our teachers, our students, our community, to make sure we are focusing on our education as well."

Drivers like De Leon will not only be driving the buses but also working on them.

Meanwhile, district transportation director Alex Rodriguez said maintenance for an electric bus is different than a regular one.

"We are hoping we can see those savings at the end of our fiscal year," said Rodriguez. "That we mainly do on our diesel buses, like our oil changes, change the belts, change our transmission oil."

De Leon said an EV bus tends to have several emergency breaks. It saves energy by recharging on its own, giving it a mileage of 100 plus, and it doesn't need an oil change. Meanwhile, coolant and steering oil are still a must.

"It has coolant," said De Leon. " So, it cools down the battery and the motor. It has a radiator too that helps cool down the battery."

The district has eight charging stations to keep the buses rolling. 

"The range is about 130 miles on a full charge; we use it between 40 and 45 miles during the day for a route," said Rodriguez. "What we do is that we use them throughout the day and charge them overnight. Once they finish the route in the afternoon, they plug them in."

De Leon told ValleyCentral students already enjoy the electric ride.

"They get emotional," De Leon said while sitting behind the wheel. "Because they think that they are in a Tesla bus. They say because it has batteries, and it feels great."

Superintendent Luna said she hopes other Valley districts follow their lead and start making moves to go electric.