February 19, 2026
.com
Branford, North Branford & Northford Vol. XXX Iss. 8
Branford Schools Go with All-Electric Bus System By Nicholas Checker Special to The Sound
Branford Public Schools (BPS) will incorporate an electric school bus system into its transportation network beginning in the 2026–27 school year, utilizing 46 electric buses to serve approximately 2,500 students. The transition was approved in 2024 through
a 10-year, $60 million contract between Zum and the school system, with $6.3 million of the cost offset by the EPA Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program. “Branford Public Schools, in partnership with Zum, is committed to delivering a firstclass transportation system that prioritizes students and families while setting a new standard for safety, reliability, and sustain-
ability,” said School Superintendent Christopher Tranberg. “Electric school buses with bidirectional charging capabilities create cleaner transportation today and have the potential to support grid resilience by returning energy from bus batteries back to the grid in the future.” See Branford Schools page 4
Tara Helen O’Connor is helping lead the Essex Winter Series into a new season..................................2
Charging Toward 2026 Pallav Prakash, director of electrification program management for Zum, outlines the capabilities of the new bus yard Feb. 13 at 33 Flax Mill Road in Branford ahead of a groundbreaking ceremony for Branford Public Schools’ 46-bus electric fleet. Set to launch in the 2026–27 school year, the fleet will make Branford the largest fully electric school district in the Northeast with vehicle-to-grid capabilities. Zum provides transportation to more than 4,000 schools in 15 states and in 2024 deployed the nation’s first fully electric school bus fleet in Oakland, Calif. See more photos from the groundbreaking at zip06.com.
Photo by Wesley Bunnell/ The Sound
Raising the Bar Kylie Connelly finished first in bars at the SCC Championship............12
New for the New Year Madison Lyric Stage has announced its 2026 lineup............................19
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