Westport May Experiment With a Hybrid School Bus

Westport Public Schools received a $63,584 grant from the Connecticut Clean Fuel program to operate a hybrid diesel electric school bus, which will end up costing the town nothing.

Dattco, Westport’s transportation provider, has agreed to pay the remaining $82,347 over the course of two annual lease payments in addition to covering all insurance and maintenance costs on the ultra-low sulfur diesel hybrid. At the end of the two-year lease Dattco will resume ownership of the bus for the sum of one dollar.

Fairfield County has the worst air quality in Connecticut -- the reason state agencies have pushed many possibilities for reducing emissions locally, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business Nancy Harris.

“Towns are trying things like this because it is the right thing to try,” Harris said, noting Westport, unlike many other towns, has the ability cover the cost of this bus upfront.

In order to obtain the state grant, Westport will need to request town funding for the initial cost of the bus. The Board of Education, Board of Finance, Board of Selectman and RTM (Representative Town Committee) would need to approve funding for the project. If the funds are approved Westport will purchase the bus in February in order to have it delivered and available for the 2012-2013 school year.

The Board of Education instructed Westport Superintendent Dr. Elliot Landon to prepare a presentation for the Board of Finance regarding funding for the hybrid bus utilizing the grant received by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.