The Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) recently unveiled its new $24 million Transportation Services Center – a state-of-the-art facility which integrates the infrastructure necessary to support the District’s planned transition to an all-electric bus fleet.
With 17 new electric buses recently deployed to get students to-and-from school and the many extracurricular activities that make the high school experience meaningful, GUHSD’s transition to an all-electric fleet is already underway.
“GUHSD exists to empower each of our students to build the best future, and what we’ve done with our new transportation services center is we’ve reached into the future and brought it to our students and families right now,” said GUHSD Superintendent Mary Beth Kastan.
“This new facility sets a new bar for innovation in school transportation, and it is a testament to the thoughtful focus on energy-efficiency that has made GUHSD a model for local businesses and governments,” she added.
The new 32,383-square-foot Transportation Services Center features state-of-the-art automotive maintenance and safety technology, and new training, bus dispatch, and administrative support offices. The facility also includes nine bus maintenance bays, a drive-through bus wash, extensive parts storage, and new tools.
The Center was designed by HED; Balfour Beatty served as the construction manager.
“HED is so honored to have been the design and technical architect for this important and environmentally sensitive bus maintenance facility. ‘Advancing Your World’ is our promise that through the positive impact of design we create responsive, innovative, and sustainable design solutions for our clients, the community, and the world,” said Jennette La Quire, HED project principal, and an alumna of the Grossmont Union High School District. “Personally, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to give back to my home school district where I received my education and which formed the person I am today. I know that this facility will serve the students of the GUHSD through safely and cleanly transporting them to school and events while serving as an example on how to be a steward of the planet by riding in a solar powered electric bus,” she added.
GUHSD buses travel nearly 1,000,000 miles annually, requiring more than 182,000 gallons of diesel, costing almost $495,000 yearly. Known for its relentless focus on energy conservation, GUHSD collaborated with ENGIE North America (ENGIE), a subsidiary of ENGIE S.A., to complete an in-depth analysis of fleet and transportation requirements and developed a 28-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that includes solar photovoltaic systems to lower costs with onsite renewable energy, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to power the new electric fleet, and smart control software for fleet optimization and monitoring.
“The GUHSD transportation center will serve as a model for school districts as we evolve to electrification,” said Stefaan Sercu, managing director of Energy Solutions at ENGIE. “At ENGIE, our mission is to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral economy and every step moves the needle. This transition will only succeed if we can combine a reduction in energy consumption with a diverse and complementary mix of clean, renewable energy technologies and solutions, much in the fashion of GUHSD,” he added.
At the event, ENGIE also unveiled a new education collaboration with GUHSD, providing financial support for the District’s renowned student solar academy in the summer of 2023, including classroom sets of hands-on solar kits, background reading, and data collection sheets. ENGIE will also provide a paid virtual internship position for graduates of the 2022 academy.
SDG&E was also an essential project partner through its Power Your Drive for Fleets program, which helps fleet owners and operators connect with resources, fleet-friendly charging rates, and financial incentives to cost-effectively design and install the charging infrastructure needed to power electric fleets.
“Electrifying the transportation sector is critical to helping our state and region meet our net zero goals and mitigate the impacts of climate change,” said Jeni Reynolds, SDG&E director of Clean Transportation. “Through Power Your Drive for Fleets, SDG&E built the infrastructure required to support Grossmont Union in their switch to electric buses and enable them to serve as a model for other school districts seeking to lower their fleet operations costs while also helping to reduce emissions and air pollution for the communities we serve.”
At the event, SDG&E also announced their sponsorship of a $2,500 scholarship – for a GUHSD senior committed to a career developing clean energy technologies – which will be awarded next spring.
GUHSD secured $6.8 million in grant funding for the transition to all-electric buses:
● $4.2 million from the San Diego Air Pollution Control District
● $2.1 million from California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program
● $318,892 from EnergIIZE (Energy Infrastructure Incentives for Zero-Emission) Commercial Vehicles Project
● $200,000 from the California Energy Commission
● SDG&E Power Your Fleet Program to receive 80% offset for charging infrastructure and 50% rebate on bus chargers
Students representing GUHSD’s Career Technology Education (CTE) pathways in design, engineering, and transportation, served as ambassadors and tour guides at the event.
Brooklyn Price, a 12th grade engineering & architecture pathway CTE student from Santana High School expressed her strong support for the District’s commitment to energy innovation. She cited the new center for inspiring her peers to pursue careers in renewable energy.
“Right now, we have multiple programs at multiple schools to teach students about green energy and all the renewable sources that will benefit us in the future in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.
“GUHSD is a national leader moving toward an all-electric bus fleet,” said GUHSD Transportation Director CJ Rasure. “We will continue to explore new transportation technologies as we move into the next century, but always with the safety of our students and staff at the forefront,” he added.
(Courtesy photo)
