Transportation

Weld RE-5J Awarded Over $2.5 Million in Grants for Electric School Buses and Emergency Resilience

Weld County RE-5J School District is proud to announce that we have been awarded multiple grants totaling more than $2.5 million to bring electric school buses and cutting-edge emergency energy infrastructure to our community—at zero cost to local taxpayers.

Through a first-of-its-kind electric school bus resilience pilot project in Colorado, Weld RE-5J has been selected by Xcel Energy to help reimagine how school transportation can serve not only students, but also the broader community during emergencies.

As part of this award, the district will receive:

• Six Blue Bird Vision Electric School Buses, funded by Xcel Energy’s Transportation Electrification Plan (valued at up to $400,000 per bus)
• Bidirectional charging infrastructure capable of powering an emergency shelter using stored energy from the buses’ batteries (valued at up to $100,000)
• Six electric bus chargers and full infrastructure installation
• Free technical assistance from World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative
• Additional funding through 
  • The Clean Fleet Vehicle and Technology grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ($877,542 towards the cost of busses)
  • The Fleet-ZERO grant from the Colorado Energy Office ($56,000 for additional charging ports)

Altogether, the total value of the buses is $2,507,262, not including charging infrastructure and installation costs—expenses that would typically fall on the district.

This unique opportunity was available only to districts meeting specific criteria, including being served by Xcel Energy, operating in wildfire-prone areas, and having a school facility capable of serving as an emergency shelter. After careful consideration, Weld RE-5J determined it was in the best interest of our students, families, and taxpayers to apply.

Following a competitive application process, the district was proudly selected.

A traditional diesel school bus costs approximately $165,000 and has a service life of 10–15 years. By contrast, a single electric bus costs more than $417,000, offering the same lifespan with significantly reduced maintenance costs by eliminating expenses such as oil changes, transmission fluids, and many mechanical components.

Thanks to these grants, Weld RE-5J will receive six electric buses, eight chargers, and full installation—all for no cost. The buses will serve daily transportation routes while also functioning as emergency energy resources for the community when needed.

The district plans to place the bus order this spring, with the goal of having the new fleet operational by the second semester of the 2026–2027 school year.

We are proud to be joining the electric fleet movement, reducing emissions, increasing emergency preparedness, and investing in a healthier, more resilient future for generations of Weld RE-5J students.
 

At Weld RE-5J, the safety and well-being of our students during their bus rides are of paramount importance. We consider designated school bus stop locations and the school bus itself as extensions of the classroom. To ensure a secure and respectful transportation experience, we ask that all student riders adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Respectful Conduct: Student riders are expected to respect the rights of fellow students, area residents, and property, and follow all posted rules. While at bus stops, loading areas, and on board the bus, students will be under the authority of the driver and/or bus para.
2. Notification of Absence: If your child will not be riding the bus on a particular day, please notify our Dispatch office at 970-587-4202 in advance.
3. Assigned Stops: Students are assigned to a specific bus stop and should board and disembark only at that assigned stop.
4. Safe Boarding: Passengers are to wait at least six (6) feet back from the actual pick-up point and should not approach the bus until the driver opens the door for boarding. Passengers crossing the street to board or depart from the bus must wait for a designated signal from the driver, check for traffic in both directions, and then cross in FRONT of the bus. NEVER cross behind the bus.
5. Carry-On Items: All carry-on items must be properly secured. Students utilizing the luggage compartments must notify the driver before placing or removing items in the compartments and ensure that the door is closed/latched.
6. Prohibited Items: Items NOT permitted on buses include lighters, open flames, hairspray, spraying of flammables, tobacco products, drugs, alcohol, weapons, or sharp objects that may cause injury. Skateboards and scooters are also not allowed on the bus due to limited storage space.
7. Personal Property: The District does not insure or indemnify personal property, as per the Colorado Revised Statutes, and is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property that may occur during transportation, whether it is carried onto the bus or placed in the luggage compartments.
8. Seating Arrangements: The bus driver and/or bus para have the authority to assign seats as necessary for safety purposes.
9. Proper Seating: Passengers are required to sit in an upright position facing forward with their feet on the floor and out of the aisle. Riders should maintain talking and noise at a safe level as determined by the driver and/or para. Shouting or whistling is not allowed.
10. Behavior Expectations: Bullying of any type (verbal or physical), horseplay, spitting, obscene gestures, drawing inappropriate items/words on windows, seats, etc., or destruction of property at bus stops or aboard buses will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary actions. Unacceptable behavior, as determined by the driver and/or bus para, will not be tolerated in any form. Emergency doors, windows, or roof hatches should only be used in case of emergencies.
11. Audio/Video Surveillance: Audio/video cameras may be used on school transportation vehicles when transporting students to and from school or extracurricular activities for the safety and security of students and staff.

Parents: The Weld County School District RE-5J provides transportation services on a limited basis as a privilege to eligible students; regular education school transportation services are not mandated in the State of Colorado.
 
Our goal is to ensure a safe and positive experience for students who receive this service. Please review the following rules and guidelines with your child. These expectations are necessary for a SAFE bus ride to and from school. 

1. Students at a bus stop must wait a safe distance from the actual pick-up point until the driver opens the doors for boarding. 
2. All students using district transportation to commute to or from school are required to have a school ID/BUS CARD and scan on and off the bus. (Exceptions may be made for students with special needs.) In the event of your child’s ID/Bus Card being lost or stolen, it is your responsibility to notify your child’s school and they will issue a new card. There may be a fee for a lost ID badge. 
3. Passengers shall go to their seats without crowding or pushing and remain seated while the bus is in motion. The bus driver is authorized to assign seats as necessary. 
4. Passengers shall not extend any body part out of the bus windows.
5. Passengers shall not talk to the driver while the bus is in motion except in an emergency.
6. Passengers shall not tamper with the emergency doors or windows or any part of the bus equipment, including cameras. 
7. Passengers shall not mark, deface or damage the bus or its equipment. There may be restitution charged for damage to the bus. Passengers are to report promptly to the bus driver any damage to the seats or any other parts of the bus near where they are sitting, so that they might not be charged for the damage.
8. Passengers may open the bus windows but must close them if directed by the driver.
9. Passengers shall not fight or scuffle on the bus or throw objects on the bus or out the bus windows.
10. Passengers shall keep books, lunch boxes, and similar objects out of the aisle of the bus.
11. Passengers shall not bring knives, matches, firearms, other weapons, animals of any kind, glass containers, or any other objects that may cause a hazard on a school bus.
12. Passengers shall not consume food items or beverages on the bus. 
13. Passengers shall not spray anything on the bus such as perfume, body spray, bug spray etc.
14. Loud talk, inappropriate and foul language is strictly prohibited.
15. Smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco on the bus is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.
16. Students shall have a signed statement from parents and signed by a school official before a bus driver will let them off at any stop other than their own. A call to the transportation office will also be accepted. 
17. Passengers must remain seated until the bus comes to a complete stop. 
18. Passengers will leave the bus in an orderly manner. Any passenger crossing in front of the bus must clear the bus by 10 feet and wait for the driver to signal it is safe to cross.
19. Skateboards and scooters are not allowed on the bus. 
20. Speakers/music are not allowed to be played by students on the bus. Ear buds/headphones are acceptable. 
21. Student use, possession, distribution or sale of alcohol or controlled substances and the abuse of other drugs is prohibited in all Weld County RE-5J Schools and on school property, in school vehicles and at school activities or sanctioned events.

Bus drivers periodically review bus rules with the students. If a student chooses to disregard the rules at the bus stop or on the bus, the Driver will verbally warn the student to correct the behavior. If the student fails to modify the behavior, the Driver is required to complete and forward a Bus Safety Referral to the parent and enforce consequences. The consequences are as follows:

• 1^st Written report – Documented Verbal Warning
• 2^nd Written report – Documented Call to Parent
• 3^rd Written report – 1-3 Day Bus Suspension
• 4^th Written report – 5-10 Day Bus Suspension**
• 5^th Written report – Semester or School Year Bus Suspension

OVERT/BLATANT ACTION – IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION

Overt/Blatant actions such as fighting, willful defiance of driver’s directions, smoking/vaping, lighting matches, throwing items or exiting out of emergency exits may result in immediate suspension of riding privileges for multiple days on the first occurrence.

If a 3^rd or 4^th written report is issued, the parent is required to sign and return the Safety Referral to the bus driver to resume riding privileges for the student on the eligible return date. 

*Consequences for students with an IEP are defined in the “Transportation Guidelines for Students With Special Needs Parent Information” handbook. 

When a 10-day suspension is issued, the parent/guardian and the student are required to meet with a transportation supervisor/manager to resume riding privileges on the eligible return date.

DAMAGE TO THE BUS BODY, BUS SEATS OR BUS EQUIPMENT WILL REQUIRE MONETARY RESTITUTION AS WELL AS A SIGNED COPY OF THE BUS SAFETY REFERRAL. Information on how to pay restitution is included with the Bus Safety Referral.