San Francisco Rolls Out First Electric School Buses in Fleet Transition

The San Francisco Unified School District has started putting electric school buses into service, marking the opening step of a broader move toward an all-electric fleet. The district had previously outlined a two-year roll-out: 104 electric buses are planned for this year, followed by another 134 next year. Details about the vehicles themselves, including which manufacturer or manufacturers will supply them, were not included in the district’s announcement.

This initial deployment makes SFUSD one of a growing number of school systems turning to battery-powered transportation. Electric school buses are typically charged overnight at depots, which can reduce fuel and maintenance costs compared with diesel models while cutting tailpipe emissions in neighborhoods along school routes.

The phased approach gives the district room to test operational needs such as charging infrastructure and route planning before scaling up. As more buses arrive over the next two years, SFUSD expects to move closer to its goal of an entirely electric school bus fleet.