North Central Texas Council of Governments
At a Glance
Industry
Government/Public Administration
Project Type
Zero Emission Vehicles, Freight and Logistics
Year
2022
Location
Arlington, TX
Summary
Isabella Tsark was hosted by the North Central Texas Council of Governments to conduct a fleet electrification analysis for Rockwall ISD.
Goals
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), which provides regional planning and coordination for a 16-county region, hosted EDF Climate Corps Fellow Isabella Tsark to conduct a fleet electrification analysis pilot project for Rockwall Independent School District (ISD). To help Rockwall begin the electrification planning process, Isabella conducted an analysis to determine the viability of deploying electric school buses as well as quantify the financial and health benefits of electrification.
Solutions
Isabella began the project by collecting fleet data from Rockwall ISD, such as vehicle details, route mileages, and fuel and electricity prices. These data, along with potential grant amounts, were used as inputs to the Alternative Fuel Life Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) tool to calculate total cost of ownership (TCO) and emissions reductions of electric versus diesel school buses.
Isabella showed the money saved and emissions reduced by replacing a diesel bus with an electric school bus over the vehicle life. She also demonstrated the battery ranges of various electric buses adequately meet the needs of three Rockwall ISD route scenarios of varying length.
Potential Impact
Isabella’s analysis showed approximately 70% fuel cost savings, 40% maintenance cost savings, a 30% reduction in TCO, and the elimination of tailpipe emissions by switching to electric school buses. Furthermore, the route analysis demonstrated 100% of Rockwall’s routes were within the range capabilities of an electric school bus.
As a result of the analysis, Rockwall ISD plans to pursue funding to deploy an electric school bus pilot within the next couple of years. In addition, this project provides a data analysis framework for other local school districts considering electrification.