BYD, AVSTA Agree on Battery Electric School Buses for Students in the Antelope Valley

LANCASTER, Calif. - Aug. 1, 2022 - PRLog -- BYD and the Antelope Valley Schools Transportation Agency (AVSTA) announced Monday a plan to bring 20 battery electric school buses to students in the Antelope Valley.

The buses will be built in Lancaster, California at the BYD Coach & Bus facility by members of the SMART Union.

"It's great to see our community take advantage of funding that's out there for electric school buses," BYD Senior Vice President Patrick Duan said. "This agreement puts the community on the road to being the nation's first region with fully electric transit and school buses. We are proud of our close partnerships here."

AVSTA CEO Morris Fuselier III expressed excitement about the announcement and noted it would be just the first step on a journey to bringing clean transportation to the students of the region.

The plan to bring battery electric school buses to the students oft he Antelope Valley was also hailed by local leaders including Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris, who noted that AVSTA is on a path to become the first school transportation provider in California to operate a complete fleet of zero emission school buses.

"Just a few short years ago we were told this was not possible, " Parris said. "But, we found a way to work together to make this golden opportunity a reality for the Antelope Valley and our schools. We want to create a template for the world to follow: If you do this, our grandchildren will survive global climate change. When that bus takes off after dropping them off, they won't be breathing that exhaust, which is nothing but poison."

BYD School buses are eligible for federal and state purchase incentives offered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Those interested in the opportunities are encouraged to reach out to BYD.SchoolBus@byd.com

When it comes to zero-emission transportation, BYD brings innovation and cutting-edge technologies to forward-thinking communities and private enterprises. The only pure electric vehicle manufacturer in the U.S. to have an all-union workforce and a pioneering Community Benefits Agreement, BYD's Lancaster, Calif., workforce includes a growing number of second-chance employees, single parents and veterans.

ABOUT BYD
The Official Sponsor of Mother Nature™, BYD, the world's leading electric vehicle company, is dedicated to creating a "total solution."  Globally, BYD has committed to corporate social responsibility, deeply monitoring our supply chain in terms of human rights, environmental safety, hazardous substance control and intellectual property rights. We only select suppliers who share our commitment to just labor practices, human rights standards and the environment. For more information, please visit https://en.byd.com/ or follow BYD on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Contact: Frank Girardot, Sr. Director Communications frank.girardot@byd.com; (213) 245-6503.