First Student and Con Edison Advance Electric School Bus Infrastructure in New York City

Con Edison’s support for First Student’s trenchless charging design cuts upfront infrastructure costs and may offer a replicable model for other fleets.

Rhea-AI Summary

Con Edison (ED) and First Student completed the first phase of an electric school bus project for the New York City Department of Education, using First Student’s trenchless, modular First Charge™ infrastructure.

The charging system, which avoids traditional underground trenching, reduced infrastructure construction costs by 13% while supporting electric school buses now operating in Brooklyn and Queens. Con Edison and NYSERDA provided funding, including vouchers for six new buses and four retrofit buses. First Student plans to deploy 40 additional electric school buses in New York and uses advanced software to charge buses during off‑peak hours to lower energy costs and improve efficiency.

Positive

• 13% reduction in infrastructure construction costs from trenchless First Charge™ installation
• Planned deployment of 40 additional electric school buses serving New York City
• NYSERDA funding supports 6 new electric buses and 4 retrofit buses
• First Student already operated about 490 electric buses in 2025-26 with over 11.2 million miles driven

Negative

• None.

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• First Charge™ trenchless and modular charging infrastructure solution demonstrates a more cost-effective approach to electrification in one of the nation's most complex urban environments
• Electric school buses now operating across Brooklyn and Queens are supported by First Charge™ infrastructure that reduced construction costs by 13%
• First Student announces plans to deploy 40 additional electric school buses to serve the New York City Department of Education

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- First Student, North America's largest student transportation services provider backed by EQT Infrastructure, and Con Edison, today announced the completion of the first phase of an electric school bus project serving the New York City Department of Education. The project brings together electric school buses, First Student's First Charge™ infrastructure solution, advanced bi-directional charging technology, and a cost-effective approach to fleet electrification in one of the nation's most complex urban environments.

"We're incredibly proud of the work we're doing with Con Edison and the progress we're making together to advance electric school bus transportation," said John Kenning, CEO and President of First Student. "Our mission is to provide the safest, most reliable, and efficient ride to school, so that students arrive ready to learn and achieve their full potential. Living that mission means continuing to live our values, including setting the highest standards for student transportation. Safety will always be at the heart of everything we do, and we're proud to pair that commitment with innovation that is improving the sustainability of student transportation."

At the center of the project is First Charge™, First Student's innovative trenchless, modular charging infrastructure solution that reduces costs and accelerates time to market. By avoiding traditional underground trenching, the installation reduced infrastructure construction costs by 13% while minimizing construction complexity and disruption, an especially important advantage in dense urban environments like New York City.

"Con Edison supports innovation to help make transitioning to electric vehicles affordable for our customers," said Vicki Kuo, senior vice president of Customer Energy Solutions at Con Edison. "Eliminating the need to bury the service line to these chargers lowers the upfront costs for First Student and is a strategy that other fleet owners can replicate to save money and complete projects more quickly. Replacing inefficient, fossil fuel-powered buses with vehicles that produce no tailpipe emissions will help keep our region sustainable."

Con Edison and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) contributed funding for the project. The funding included six bus vouchers awarded through NYSERDA's New York School Bus Incentive Program through First Student's school bus manufacturer, International, as well as funding for four retrofit buses.

This project is also exploring ways to decrease energy costs for fleets. Using advanced load management software, the electric school buses charge during off-peak hours when energy is less expensive, not only decreasing complexity but also ensuring energy is used efficiently.

First Student is continuing to expand its electrification operations in New York with the addition of 40 new electric school buses. First Student is also considering additional initiatives at its Brooklyn facilities, including expanded solar use and the creation of a smart energy hub.

NYSERDA is supporting the purchase of six electric school buses for this project through the New York School Bus Incentive Program and through First Student's vendor, International, and four retrofit buses through the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program.

"This project is exactly the kind of critical infrastructure investment to which EQT is committed across our portfolio - pairing patient, long-term capital with practical innovation that strengthens energy security and accelerates the shift to cleaner transportation," said Crosby Cook, Partner at EQT Infrastructure. "First Student's work with Con Edison demonstrates that the right partnership between fleet operators and utilities can make electrification more affordable and scalable."  

"Electric school buses offer a healthier, quieter transportation experience for students while reducing pollution in the communities they serve," said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris. "Projects like this demonstrate how thoughtful planning, innovative charging solutions, and strong partnerships can help lower costs and accelerate the deployment of electric school buses in New York City and across the state."

"Deploying electric school buses at scale requires more than vehicles; it requires the right infrastructure, technology, and utility partnership," said Kevin Matthews, Head of Electrification at First Student. "Working with Con Edison, we've demonstrated a more efficient approach that can help overcome some of the cost and construction challenges that have traditionally made fleet electrification difficult in dense urban environments."

During the 2025-26 school year, First Student operated approximately 490 electric school buses, with more than 550 additional vehicles on order. The company has surpassed 11.2 million miles driven in electric buses.

To learn more about First Student, visit www.firststudentinc.com.

About First Student
First Student, the leading student transportation services provider in North America, safely transports millions of students across the U.S. and Canada each day. With a fleet of more than 48,000 vehicles and a workforce of highly trained drivers, the company partners with school districts, divisions, and boards to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient transportation solutions that families can depend on. Recognized as a CIO 100 Award winner and named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026 list, First Student provides a range of transportation services, including special-needs transportation, routing and fleet management, vehicle electrification, maintenance services, and charter transportation. Through its proprietary HALO™ technology platform, First Student is helping shape the future of student transportation by integrating safety, operations, maintenance, workforce management, and customer communications into one intelligent transportation ecosystem that enhances safety, improves operational performance, and creates a more connected transportation experience for students and families. Learn more at https://firststudentinc.com

Media Contact
Brenna Rudisill
Brenna.Rudisill@firststudentinc.com 

About Con Edison
Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE: ED), one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam, and serves 3.7 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, NY. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com.

Media Contact
Ariel Taub
Press@coned.com 

 

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SOURCE First Student, Inc.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How does the First Charge™ infrastructure reduce construction costs for electric school bus charging?

First Charge™ uses a trenchless, modular design that eliminates the need for traditional underground trenching and avoids burying the service line to the chargers. This approach reduces construction complexity and disruption in dense urban environments and lowered infrastructure construction costs by 13% for this project.

What funding support did the project receive from public programs?

Con Edison and NYSERDA contributed funding. NYSERDA’s New York School Bus Incentive Program, through First Student’s vendor International, provided six bus vouchers, and the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program funded four retrofit buses for this project.

How are energy costs for the electric school bus fleet being managed?

The project uses advanced load management software so electric school buses charge during off‑peak hours when energy is less expensive. This reduces cost and complexity and helps ensure that energy is used efficiently.