From self-delivery to expert-led scale
After a self-delivered 6-vehicle pilot, Brinks partnered with Zenobē to scale to 25 vehicles in 12 months, cutting costs and timelines whilst projecting $800k in fuel and maintenance savings.
Zenobē supports 10 electric school buses with The Trans Group
72994
10
electric school buses financed
4,500
students supported with zero-emission transport
2040
State of New York’s zero emission mandate
EBT is a managed entity of The Trans Group, which specializes in school buses providing public school transportation for school districts in Nassau County and western Suffolk County, including Copiague, Massapequa, Amityville, Seaford, Wantagh, Farmingdale, South Huntington, Half Hollow Hills, Bethpage, and Hicksville.
The Trans Group provides transportation to hundreds of thousands of passengers annually in lower New York State and Long Island, with more than 1,300 vehicles and over 2,000 employees. As an initial phase, this project involved financing 10 electric school buses (ESBs) along with the development and management of the associated charging infrastructure, serving Copiague Public Schools’ 4,500 students. The project was supported by the New York School Bus Incentive Program, administered by NYSERDA, with additional funding by Zenobē.
The challenge
New York State legislation sets an ambitious pathway for school bus electrification, with targets for all school buses to transition to clean electric power by 2040 and restrictions on new diesel bus purchases from 2032. For fleet operators, this creates both urgency and opportunity, requiring careful planning to ensure a smooth and sustainable transition.
Securing funding is a key part of the electrification journey. A range of state and federal programs are available to support operators, helping reduce upfront costs and accelerate deployment. However, navigating multiple funding streams and application processes can add complexity to project planning, making early coordination and expert support particularly valuable.
Zenobē has a dedicated team of grants administrators who support operators in identifying, securing and implementing available grants and financing. This enables electrification projects to move forward with confidence despite a shifting external landscape.
The solution
Zenobē combines technical expertise with access to capital and delivery experience to support this transition and not only meet the 2040 deadline but to build resilience well beyond it.
Zenobē delivers a fully integrated, end-to-end electrification solution that extends well beyond the initial development of the charging infrastructure and deployment of vehicles. Ongoing maintenance, servicing and performance management are embedded into the service, ensuring fleets continue to operate reliably from day one and throughout their lifecycle. Zenobē actively manages battery health and charging infrastructure to maintain optimal performance and minimize downtime.
By taking responsibility for long-term operations, Zenobē removes operational complexity for fleet operators and provides confidence that electric school buses will remain on the road. This continuity of service is critical to maintaining daily operations and, ultimately, ensuring that students can consistently and safely get to school.
The outcome
While this project represents an important first step, its real significance lies in the client’s commitment to long-term outcomes rather than short-term fixes, setting a clear direction for future electrification.
The depot was designed with scalability at its core so that EBT and Trans Group can continue to expand the electric fleet without operational constraints. In order to future-proof the site, Zenobē worked closely with a local power provider, ensuring that energy infrastructure can expand in parallel with fleet growth. By planning for increased electricity demand from the outset, the depot avoids the common mismatch between fleet expansion and energy availability, ensuring smooth, reliable operations as the number of electric buses rises.
"As a long-time provider of transportation services to Long Islanders, we’re excited to continue the process of bringing clean school buses to our students and drivers. The combination of NYSERDA funding and Zenobē’s experience and knowledge are vital to keep our successful transition to clean rides for our students on track"
Tim Flood
Executive Vice President,
The Trans Group
The Trans Group
The bigger picture
Looking ahead, Zenobē will continue to support EBT and the Trans Group with its fleet electrification planning, ensuring that as the number of electric buses grows, operations remain reliable, energy-ready and aligned with long-term sustainability objectives. This approach not only addresses immediate operational needs but also establishes a scalable, future-proof model for zero emission school transportation across the city.
"We look forward to supporting EBT and The Trans Group and being a part of New York State’s ambition to progress toward cleaner and healthier student transportation options. We see our role as providing more than just technical services and support. We’re delivering confidence and peace-of-mind through battery performance guarantees, cost-efficient charge management services, and partnership to make this fleet both operationally reliable and financially sustainable."
Maggie Clancy
Executive Vice President for Zenobē
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