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Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has achieved a significant milestone by deploying the nation’s first fully electric school bus fleet for the 2024-2025 school year. Spearheaded by Zūm, the modern student transportation leader, this initiative makes OUSD the first major U.S. district to transition entirely to electric school buses. The fleet, comprising 74 buses, is also equipped with cutting-edge vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, allowing the buses to return energy to the grid, enhancing sustainability and efficiency.
Key Highlights:
- First major U.S. school district with a 100% electric bus fleet.
- 74 electric buses deployed, each equipped with bidirectional chargers.
- Buses contribute 2.1 gigawatt hours of energy back to the grid annually.
- Fleet expected to eliminate 25,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases.
- Project completed one year ahead of schedule in partnership with PG&E.
Zūm’s all-electric fleet represents a groundbreaking advancement in student transportation, significantly reducing the carbon footprint while providing cleaner, quieter, and healthier rides for students. Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zūm, emphasized, “By converting Oakland Unified’s school bus fleet to 100% electric, we are showing that sustainability solutions are here – and can positively impact an entire community.”
With over 90% of the nation’s school buses still running on carbon-based fuels, Oakland’s initiative marks a pivotal shift toward sustainable transportation. Superintendent Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell highlighted the project’s impact on the local community, noting that Oakland families have long suffered from air pollution and related health issues. “Zum’s electric school buses provide our students quieter, cleaner rides to and from school,” she stated, underlining the initiative’s positive effects on both education and public health.
Partners like Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) played a crucial role in accelerating the project. PG&E Corporation CEO Patti Poppe remarked, “Our partnership with Zum and Oakland Unified on its fully electric school bus fleet is a blueprint for schools across California and the nation.”
With a goal of electrifying 10,000 school buses nationwide, Zūm continues to lead the charge toward a sustainable future for student transportation.
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