I took the bus to and from school until I was old enough to drive. When the bell rang, and we’d pour out of school, dozens of yellow school buses would be lined up waiting for us with their engines idling. Particularly on hot and humid days, the diesel fumes would be suffocating, and I’d often end up with a headache by the time we pulled out of the school’s drive. If you rode the bus, you may have similar memories, too.
I am so glad that kids today can ride on clean school buses! EV school buses have no tailpipe emissions, which is especially important for little kids who are more sensitive to the health impacts of air pollution because their lungs are still developing. It’s no surprise that cleaning up school buses helps kids do better on their schoolwork.
According to the American Lung Association, more than 90% of school buses across the US are still powered by diesel, but that is changing thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. In fact, by stacking BIL and IRA grants and tax credits together, you can convert your school bus fleet to EVs at little to no cost to your school district.
Electric school buses are also Made in America, including by Blue Bird, which has been making school buses in Macon and Fort Valley, Georgia, for nearly 100 years.
Our next Rural Renaissance Webinar features speakers who know how to get it done for your school bus fleet and more. I hope you’ll join us to hear what they have to share.