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WINDSOR – It looks like a regular yellow school bus.

But when it’s in motion, the bus is a lot quieter than one powered by a regular diesel engine, and it doesn’t come with the smell of diesel fuel either.

Bertie County Schools now has one electric school bus, with a few more on the way, thanks to funding through the Clean School Bus Grant Program. That grant, awarded in 2022, also provided funds to install a DC-Fast charger for the busses to use.

While they’re not the only district to receive these funds, they are the first local one to get the charger installed and the bus delivered.

Representatives from the school district and Roanoke Cooperative partnered together to celebrate the completion of the project at Bertie High School, which was unveiled at an event on Tuesday, Aug 6. Several elected officials and other community leaders were in attendance as well.

“This project is more than just innovation, more than just technological advancement. It’s an opportunity to educate as well,” said Roanoke Cooperative CEO Marshall Cherry during the event.

“As we celebrate this milestone, I encourage everyone to embrace these new technologies. Together, we can make a lasting positive impact on our community,” Cherry concluded.

Wanda Taylor Cofield, who serves as Bertie’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director, said the electric bus will make a difference in students’ lives. She’s already seen how interested they are in learning more about electric vehicles.

Cofield is an electric vehicle owner herself, and her students have been asking questions about it since she first drove her car to campus.

“If the students can see it, if they can touch it, they want to do more with it,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity.”

Bertie School Board Chair Reba Cooper Carlton recalled her days of driving a school bus and marveled at how it had changed over the years, from a clutch to an automatic transmission, and now to an electric-powered bus.

“We’re excited about this new thing that’s going to be happening in Bertie County Schools,” she said.

Melanie Allen, from the Hive Fund which provides money and support to green energy projects, echoed comments from Bertie Superintendent Dr. Otis Smallwood about how the electric bus will also benefit the health and safety of the students. They won’t be subjected to diesel exhaust fumes from the electric bus, for example.

Bertie County Commissioner Chair John Trent praised the school district for making this investment in the future. He cited statistics about how electric vehicle use is growing all over the country. In 2000, he said, there were only 100,000 electric vehicles on the road. Last year, there were over 3.3 million.

“This is the direction the country is going in. Green energy,” Trent said. “You’re adding value to people’s lives. You’re adding value to your students.”

Other elected officials who spoke at the event included NC House Representatives Bill Ward (District 5) and Shelly Willingham (District 23), and US Congressman Don Davis. They all emphasized the importance of partnerships that helped bring the project to fruition in Bertie County.

Roanoke Cooperative representatives who also took part in Tuesday’s event included Allen Speller, Basil Williams, and Angella Dunston.

“We are striving to reduce our carbon footprint, and that shift begins with ensuring that our school buses are no longer diesel, but actually electric,” said Dunston.

The electric charging station is located on the campus of Bertie High School, and can charge one bus at a time. After the unveiling, attendees had the opportunity to take a ride on the bus around the campus parking lot.