Charging Into the Future

For Haverford students and the alums who preceded them, riding the Blue Bus — whether to attend classes or in search of a party — has been a quintessential component of daily campus life since the late 1960s. Now, thanks to the addition of a fully electric bus to the Bi-Co fleet, the 25 daily trips between campuses are more environmentally friendly.

An ultramodern Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus, manufactured by Thomas Built Buses, rolled onto campus for driver training on Feb. 7 and was put into service the following Monday. Its arrival ushers in a new era of transportation for the consortium by advancing Haverford's commitment to sustainability as outlined in Haverford 2030, the College's strategic plan. The bus also sports an updated identity and, for the first time, is wrapped in both Colleges’ colors.

“Nationwide, the transportation sector is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas pollution, so we’re excited to demonstrate how electrified transportation yields so many benefits — not just emission reductions, but cleaner air for our community, no more diesel rumble, and lifecycle cost savings to boot,” says Jesse Lytle, Haverford’s chief of staff and the College’s first chief sustainability officer.

The bus swaps diesel fuel for a 244 kWh battery, giving it a range of 150 miles between charges. When hooked up to a newly installed charging station in Bryn Mawr’s Batten House parking lot, that takes just three hours, says Steve Green, Bryn Mawr’s director of transportation.

Green says this isn’t the first time the Bi-Co has explored alternative options for its fleet. All the existing buses can run on biodiesel, a renewable fuel derived from vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled restaurant grease. However, its use is relegated to warmer months, given the fuel’s tendency to congeal when temperatures dip below 45 degrees. The Colleges were early experimenters with alternative fuels, converting one of its buses to run on compressed natural gas in 2004.

“It was a Frankenstein bus,” Green remembers, noting that it was later reconfigured to run on diesel. “It was definitely an early time for alternative fuel vehicles.”

Green has longed to add an electric vehicle to the fleet, and has been traveling to conferences across the country for more than a decade in search of a suitable fit, he says. But the cost, lack of available stateside manufacturers, and limited battery technology were major deterrents. “Range anxiety is a real thing, and a range of 40 miles for a bus just isn’t practical,” Green says of the limitations posed by earlier models. Thomas’ Jouley model, he adds, addresses most of those concerns.

As many green-conscious auto shoppers can attest, cost is often the single biggest barrier to electric vehicle ownership. Whereas a typical diesel bus costs about $150,000 on average, their electric counterparts check in at slightly more than three times that. The investment was split between the Colleges and supported by a $100,000 Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

The cost of the bus’ acquisition will be offset, says Sakinah Rahman, director of administrative services at Bryn Mawr, by a reduction in maintenance costs. With no combustion engine, it requires much less routine maintenance. There are no spark plugs, timing belts, or motor oil to change, adds Green.

Both Colleges hope to add more electric buses to the fleet in the future. For now, the new bus does more than benefit the environment. “We’re also just excited to have an additional bus to support the fleet,” Green says. With an 18-hour service day, “breakdowns are just a part of life here.”