May 13, 2026
FROM STATE SENATOR GEORGE BORRELLO: “I am encouraged by reports that the final state budget agreement will include a delay to New York’s electric school bus mandate, giving school districts five additional years, until 2032, before they must transition from purchasing diesel-powered buses to electric buses, while also extending the deadline for full fleet electrification to 2040.
For years, I have fought hard against this unrealistic mandate and warned about the serious financial and operational problems it would create for school districts across New York. It is gratifying to finally see Albany show at least some recognition of reality and provide schools with some badly needed breathing room. As more districts became early adopters of these buses, the problems became impossible to ignore, from buses struggling to maintain heat during upstate winters without draining battery life, to frequent breakdowns and extended periods out of service, to enormous costs not only for the buses themselves, but also for the electrical infrastructure upgrades required just to charge them.
While this delay is certainly a step in the right direction, I still believe my legislation to repeal the mandate and replace it with a statewide pilot program is the better approach. A pilot study would provide policymakers with real-world data on where, when and under what conditions electric school buses can realistically work across a state as large and varied in climate and geography as New York.
At a minimum, this additional time will allow school districts to more carefully assess the long-term viability, costs and operational demands of these buses before being forced into full implementation. It may also provide time for the technology itself to improve and become more reliable, practical and affordable for schools.
I am glad that the concerns raised by school districts, parents, taxpayers, and our conference were finally heard. But make no mistake; a delay is not a solution. Kicking the can down the road may provide political cover in an election year, but it does nothing to address the fundamental flaws of a mandate that was never realistic to begin with. Let’s repeal it, study it, and get it right.
