Abstract:

Students from low-income communities are particularly exposed to air pollution. 60% of students from low-income families ride the bus to school, compared to 45% of students from families with higher incomes. Moreover, communities of color are more likely to suffer from vehicle-based air pollution due to historically racist lending, transit, housing and zoning policies that concentrated black and brown communities closer to highways and other pollution sources.

Electrifying the entire fleet of school buses can help address these health concerns and inequalities. In addition, school bus electrification could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all buses in the country by almost 50%, offer resiliency support to the electric grid, and support jobs in a growing industry. 

However, with the technology improving, costs coming down, new sources of funding and financing, and the recognition of a range of benefits, momentum is building.