Bus routes will be changing for many Holyoke Public Schools students this year as the district prepares to transition to full-size electric school buses this fall.
These new electric buses are wider and longer than the traditional yellow school buses the district has been using—which means they will not fit or be able to turn safely onto some of the narrower streets in the city. Accordingly, HPS needs to rework many of the previous bus routes and bus stops. Where possible, HPS will maintain the prior routes and stops, but for some children, their new bus stops may be up to 500 to 1,000 feet further away than before.
(Note: These changes will only affect certain routes for full-size buses. Routes for smaller buses and minivans will not be affected.)
Families of all students who qualify for transportation to and from school will be notified soon via email with their bus route information, including location and pickup and dropoff information.
To ensure you are notified about bus routes and all other school information, please make sure your contact information is up to date in your child’s school records in PowerSchool. If your contact information is not up to date, you can make changes through the district’s Enrollment portal.
For transportation questions, please email the district’s Transportation team.
Why electric buses?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, electric school buses offer the following benefits:
Zero tailpipe pollution, which means students, drivers, and community members are exposed to significantly less harmful diesel emissions;
Reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel school buses;
Reduced maintenance costs for brakes and no maintenance costs for bus engines or exhaust systems;
Reduced fuel costs compared to operating on diesel fuel;
Quiet, clean operations; and
Improved student attendance and academic achievement, as documented in this study: Randomized design evidence of the attendance benefits of the EPA School Bus Rebate Program
In 2024, HPS was awarded federal grant funds towards the purchase of 21 electric school buses to serve district students through a partnership with Highland Electric and Durham School Services.