Shivering Students: NY Parents Report Kids “Freezing” on Mandated Electric School Buses
Parents in Western New York are raising the alarm as the state’s mandated transition to electric school buses hits a frigid roadblock: children are reportedly coming home shivering. The mandate, requiring all new school bus purchases to be electric by 2027, has sparked heated complaints in districts like Lake Shore Central, where parents report drivers are limiting cabin heat to conserve battery life in brutal winter weather. “They were told that it drains the battery capacity of the bus itself,” said parent Scott Ziobro, echoing concerns from several families who described students enduring rides of 30 minutes or more in the cold. The issue is compounded by reports of breakdowns, with one bus allegedly stalling mid-route, leaving students waiting over 35 minutes in freezing temperatures.
While district Superintendent Phil Johnson stated that routes are planned with sufficient battery capacity for “continuous heating,” and state authorities claim electric buses are capable in cold weather, firsthand accounts tell a different story. Grandmother Lynn Urbino recounted her grandson arriving home cold after a 23-degree day, explaining, “they can’t put the heat on because it drains the battery.” This growing conflict highlights the painful, real-world challenges of implementing green mandates, pitting environmental policy against the basic comfort and safety of children, and leaving parents to question whether the technology is ready for a Western New York winter.
