Electric buses were supposed to save money for Maryland’s largest school district. But a new report by Montgomery County’s inspector general found they “led to millions of dollars in wasteful spending” in part due to late deliveries and maintenance issues.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 326 electric buses in October 2022, Montgomery County Public Schools projected the shift would save 6,500 gallons of fuel per day and cut costs by 50%.
However, since MCPS entered into the over $168 million contract for the electric buses, the buses were consistently delivered to the system late, according to the report from the county’s Office of the Inspector General.
Instead of the number of promised electric buses for fiscal year 2022 being delivered by the beginning of the school year — as required by the contract — dozens were not received by MCPS until after Christmas, according to the report.
A similar picture emerged more recently. In fiscal year 2024, when 120 electric buses were scheduled for delivery, only 37 arrived by the end of September. Most — 69 buses — were received sometime between October and the end of December. Fourteen more arrived between Jan. 1 and April 1.
The inspector general’s report said it also found “mechanical failures with many electric buses rendered them inoperable for extended periods.”
These mechanical and charging issues resulted in buses not being able to complete their routes 280 times between February 2022 and the end of March 2024. In more than half those cases, repairs were not completed within five working days. The average time it took to repair an electric bus was 13 days, according to the report.
As a result, in October 2023, the school board approved the school system’s request to buy 90 diesel school buses “in light of the electric bus shortfall” at a cost of more than $14.7 million according to the report.
The late delivery of vehicles and repair issues entitled MCPS to impose penalties under the contract and recoup costs, but the school did not do so. The inspector general’s investigation found nobody in MCPS senior management could explain why those fees, estimated to be well north of $372,000, were not pursued.
“MCPS’s failure to hold the contractor accountable to the terms of the contract and their decision not to include provisions to offset incurred expenses has led to millions of dollars in wasteful spending,” the inspector general’s report concluded.
In a statement to WTOP, Montgomery County Public Schools said it considers the inspector general “an important partner” and “will take the necessary actions” to address the issues identified in the report.
“This includes implementing data tracking systems, enhancing management practices, and improving vendor communications and contracts,” the statement read. “We will continue to collaborate closely with the OIG throughout this process.”
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