ON-AIR SEGMENT: South Lewis Central School Superintendent Douglas Premo talks electric school busses - part two

TURIN- On Monday, April 6, 2026, South Lewis School Superintendent, Douglas Premo, joined North Country News for the second part of our latest on-air series focusing on electric school busses.

By 2035, a New York State mandate will require school school districts to convert their bus fleets completely over to electric, however; the mandate has been met with much skepticism and criticism.

The ultimate question remains: is it going to be feasible, both financially and logistically, for New York school districts to have full electric bus fleets by 2035?

If you ask figures here in the North Country, the answer seems to be no for the most part.

Specifically, officials appear to be concerned over whether or not electric school busses will be able to withstand and perform up to standard in cold temperatures during the winter months.      

Back in January, a few headlines floated around suggesting that electric school busses were holding up to the harsh winter conditions (see a NYSERDA fact sheet on electric school busses).  

On the other hand, according to South Lewis School Superintendent Douglas Premo, he and others have been hearing the exact opposite. 

While advocating in January with fellow Jefferson-Lewis BOCES District Superintendents for education reform with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and in Albany, NY, Mr. Premo says the message they have interpreted mostly suggests that the few electric school busses currently in existence throughout the North Country have been enduring operating issues. 

Be sure to listen to part two of our latest on-air coverage with Superintendent Premo for more details (check out part one here):   

South Lewis Central School image.