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    K-12 Schools

    K-12 education is the platform for a generation. Schools can access our unique Throwing Solar Shade® hands-on STEM curriculum developed with leading climate scientist Dr. Jeremy Hoffman. Secure Solar Futures also provides curricula for both public and independent schools.
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Augusta County Schools Solar E-VanPool Pilot

Augusta County Schools Solar E-VanPool Pilot

Faster, Cleaner Rides to School

In October 2024, Augusta County Public Schools began a pilot program to reduce the length of two long rural school bus routes by implementing Secure Solar Futures Solar E-Vanpool Program.

Using two Ford E-Transit 10-passenger vans, which are small enough to be driven without a Commercial Drivers License and thus do not require a professional driver, the schools set up a vanpool with teacher’s aides as drivers. The vanpool vehicles can be powered by solar energy systems installed on several campuses of ACPS, making them a truly clean ride.

The drivers keep the vehicles at their homes, where charging stations have been installed. On school days, each driver picks up half a dozen students from the far end of a long bus route and takes them to the campus where the students go to class and the driver goes to work. During the day, the e-van is plugged into a vehicle charger on campus. At the end of the school day, the driver takes the same students back home and then drives herself home, where she plugs in the e-van to fully charge overnight.

By using Solar E-Vans to cut two long rural school routes, the ACPS Transportation Program was able to provide improved service to students in several ways:

  • Shorter Commutes: Round-trips were cut by 40-61 miles per van, saving students between 1.5 and 2 hours in travel time per day. This applies to the 6-8 students riding the new Solar E-Vanpool vehicles and to the other students who have remained on the orange buses, whose routes were shortened.
  • Door-to-door Pickup: Students in rural areas who previously had to travel up to a mile to reach their school bus stop now get picked up by e-vans at their front door.
  • Enhanced Safety on the Road: Vans can navigate narrow rural roads easily and avoid three-point turns sometimes required by large school buses.
  • Smoother, Quieter Ride of EV over Diesel: Parents and drivers report that students are calmer and better behaved.

Best of all, providing better service through the Solar E-Vanpool involved no additional cost. Quite the opposite: ACPS has saved about $500 per month per vehicle on fuel. View a presentation from ACPS Transportation Director Dr. Nick Nycum detailing money savings.

See Media Coverage

If you’d like to know more and see if your school might be a good candidate for our Solar E-Vanpool Program, contact us today for a free consultation.

The Challenge

Cut long bus routes without having to hire more professional drivers (while using cleaner vehicles)

The Result

Two long rural routes were each reduced by 45 minutes with volunteer drivers (and the vans can be charged with on-campus solar power)