Schools across the country are electrifying their school buses through the EPA Clean School Bus Program, which invests $5 billion over 5 years to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and clean school buses. As of June 2024, federal funds electrified a total of 385 school buses in Virginia. 

Map of Electric School Bus Adoption in Virginia. Image Credit: Generation180

Recently, Generation180 assisted Lynchburg City Schools (LCS) to electrify its school bus fleet. In the video below, Lynchburg City Schools explains how they applied and received nearly $10 million from the EPA Clean School Bus Program for twenty-five electric school buses and charging infrastructure, and up to $1 million in federal tax credits from the IRS.

Diesel pollution from diesel school buses is harmful to students, bus drivers, school staff, and community members. Diesel exhaust harms the heart and lungs which cause a range of health symptoms: from headaches and shortness of breath to more severe outcomes like asthma, cancer, and even death. Children are particularly vulnerable to diesel pollution because their respiratory systems are still developing and have faster breathing rates. Exposure to diesel emissions increases illness among students, reducing their school attendance and academic performance as they miss school to recover.

Electric school buses produce no tailpipe emissions, providing a cleaner and healthier alternative to diesel buses. Replacing just one diesel school bus with an electric bus can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 54,000 pounds each year, saving nearly 2,400 gallons of diesel per year! Replacing diesel buses with electric buses means that students have less exposure to diesel emissions and can stay healthy with less school absences.

Electric buses also provide a comfortable ride for students and drivers, further reducing noise pollution in school communities. LCS bus driver Bert Smith adds, “I think the students enjoy the quietness. The heating and the air conditioning are awesome, so it makes them more comfortable.” A quieter and more comfortable ride means that bus drivers and students can better communicate with each other and better hear their surroundings.