Athletes from the Gorge area Special Olympics team, who participated at the state Olympics this summer, were honored during the Aug. 14 school board meeting. Pictured are Superintendent Bill Newton; Hood River Local Program Coordinator Naomi Grimsley; and athletes Shadrach Grimsley, who participated in the 100-meter dash, softball throw and 4x100-meter relay; and Jose Marquez, who participated in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the 4x100-meter relay. For more information, visit Soor.org/program/hoodriver, email Hoodriver@soor.org or call (leave a message) 503-467-7511.
Athletes from the Gorge area Special Olympics team, who participated at the state Olympics this summer, were honored during the Aug. 14 school board meeting. Pictured are Superintendent Bill Newton; Hood River Local Program Coordinator Naomi Grimsley; and athletes Shadrach Grimsley, who participated in the 100-meter dash, softball throw and 4x100-meter relay; and Jose Marquez, who participated in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the 4x100-meter relay. For more information, visit Soor.org/program/hoodriver, email Hoodriver@soor.org or call (leave a message) 503-467-7511.
HOOD RIVER — Directors unanimously approved the purchase of two new Type D Green Power “Beast” eBuses from Peterson IC at the Aug. 14 Hood River County School District board meeting, held at the Nathaniel Coe Administration Center.
Kyle Rosselle, director of safety and security, told board members the electric buses are a “transitional move” for the district. “… [It] really identifies us as transitioning away from fossil fuels,” he said, noting the State of Oregon will not allow diesel bus purchases as of Jan.1, 2026.
Diesel buses are less expensive — around $225,000-$230,000 each, whereas the electric bus from Green Power is about $436,000. Superintendent Bill Newton said that the district has $472,000 in its bus replacement fund; Rosselle explained districts are reimbursed by the state for depreciation on their buses, with funds used to purchase new ones and keep fleets updated.
However, the district successfully applied for an EPA Round 2 Rebate in 2023 that allocates $400,000 back to the district. The Clean School Bus Program Rebates “replace existing school buses with clean and zero emissions models” (epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/clean-school-bus-program-rebates).
“… Without these grants, you can’t buy [eBuses] — they’re simply too expensive,” Rosselle told board members.
The “Beast” has a range of up to 155 miles, an eight-year or 200,000-mile warranty on the battery, is drop-down chain compatible (“We simply cannot operate without that,” Rosselle said) and is the least expensive of the buses the district has looked at.
“We’ve been on a journey of electrifying our buses for a long time, so thanks for all the work and effort you’re putting in and pursuing that,” Director Julia Garcia-Ramirez said to Rosselle. “It’s not only a mandate or a requirement that we have for those buses that we have to replace, but I think it’s a commitment of the district to eventually become more energy efficient.”
The electric buses will replace two 2005 diesel models and are expected to be delivered in 10-14 months.
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