ALBANY, New York — Mounting cost and feasibility concerns have spurred an upstate assemblymember to propose a revamp of New York’s electric school bus transition.
Assemblymember Carrie Woerner, a Democrat from Saratoga County, introduced a bill earlier this month that would give school districts more time before being blocked from buying diesel buses. School districts would only be required to start electrifying routes on a phased-in basis after a feasibility analysis.
Woerner said her legislation is responsive to concerns about the transition while ensuring forward progress where it makes sense.
“Nobody is disputing the value of this transition, but there are practical realities that need to be understood,” Woerner said. “It would be easy to say let’s put the brakes on it and delay it … but that works counter to our goals.”
