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I run a bus business, and we contract with schools to transport students to school and to sporting events. We had the opportunity to use an electric bus, and I can say from that experience, it would never meet the needs of the school systems.
First of all, the drive from Rockland to Augusta, a distance of 43 miles, used 70 percent of the battery. There’s no way we could get back without spending hours charging. On top of that, the bus had to be heated with diesel because the battery could never support that high need for power. In my experience, an electric bus cannot meet the transportation needs of the school systems in Maine. How do you get the kids to state athletic events if the vehicle uses 100 percent of its power after about 65 miles?
A major concern for me is the potential instability of the battery. The possibility that it could catch on fire is too horrific to think about. How do you get 40 children out of a burning bus?
I think the fact that the Board of Environmental Protection is considering mandating the sale of a high percentage of electric vehicles in Maine is beyond all reason. EVs are a bad choice for my business, and they are a bad choice for Maine.
Wayne Luce
Hope