Miami-Dade School Buses Begin First Day of School with Expanded Electric Fleet

First Day of School Operations

• 🚌 Miami-Dade County Public Schools began the 2025-26 school year with approximately 50,000 students transported daily.
• ⏰ Buses started rolling out just before 5:30 AM to accommodate school start times between 7:40 AM and 8:30 AM.
• 📍 Local 10's Jackie Pascal reported live from a bus depot in Southwest Miami-Dade, observing the fleet's departure.

Expansion of Electric School Buses

• ⚡ This year, 85 school buses are all-electric, a significant increase from the 35 electric buses used last year.
• 📉 The district aims for 100% clean energy by 2030, with efforts including equipping depots with solar panels.
• 🌍 The expanded electric fleet is expected to further reduce diesel miles, building on last year's reduction of approximately 150,000 miles.

Bus Safety and Program Updates

• ⚠️ Drivers are reminded to be aware of school buses and to stop when the stop sign is extended.
• ⚖️ The controversial school bus safety program, which began last year, remains suspended pending an independent audit due to concerns about ticketing law-abiding citizens.
• 🔍 The results of an independent audit called for by the school board are still pending.