In this series of articles, we'll be demystifying the main stages of a school bus fleet electrification project, using the Transporteur+ guide. The aim of this guide is to provide easy, direct access to resources, and to clarify the stages, issues, conditions and facilitating measures for a successful transition to electrification.
Once the vehicles and charging solution have been selected, it's imperative to ensure that their delivery is coordinated so that you can get your bus fleet up and running quickly. In particular, it's advisable to ensure that the installation of charging stations is completed several months before the arrival of electric buses. Find out more in this blog post.
Your bus fleet electrification project is well underway! Your infrastructure is delivered and installed, ready to receive your vehicles. At this stage, it's important to carry out a series of tests on your electric buses to make sure they're running smoothly. Allow several weeks for adaptation, especially for your first bus order. They will have been tested when they leave the manufacturer's factory, but you'll need to test them on your own premises.
For a first acquisition, you should familiarize yourself with this new technology by :
- Setting up and testing the data collection system;
- Integrating new approaches to preventive and corrective maintenance, both in terms of day-to-day operations and in terms of tools and garages;
- Ensuring that mechanics, drivers and other company personnel are properly trained to maintain and operate electric vehicles, from the vehicle and charging systems to the data collection and processing systems.
At present, there are no standardized tests, but it is advisable to make the usual trips several times before carrying passengers. If in doubt, contact your manufacturer immediately.
Establish a general schedule
To help you get started, it's a good idea to draw up a general timetable of the main stages in the implementation of your project. This will vary according to supply chain lead times, and the specifics and size of your project. In addition, some steps may not be necessary for smaller fleets. You'll find a sample schedule on page 44 of theguide Carrier+.
For more information, seeWeb page and theguide Carrier+.
This project was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Quebec government, the Fondation Familiale Trottier, the Fonds Climat du Grand Montréal and the Fonds de solidarité FTQ. Propulsion Québec would also like to thank L'Accélérateur de transition and the team at WSP Canada for their essential contributions, as well as all the experts we met during the preparation of this guide.
