Why Our Kids Need Electric School Buses
Cleaner, healthier rides to school for K-12 students.
-Dawn, Bus Driver, Southern Tier
Key Benefits of Clean Transportation for Students
Cleaner Air for Growing Children
We all know that engine exhaust can be a health and safety risk. That risk is even higher for growing children, and it is highest for children with longer bus rides. Electric school buses produce zero tailpipe emissions – unlike diesel- and gas-powered engines – which pollute the air and pose a serious public health risk.
Better Academic Outcomes
According to the American Lung Association, electric school buses could mean fewer asthma attacks for students. In addition to respiratory health benefits, there is growing evidence that transitioning to electric school buses may improve cognitive health and academic outcomes by removing the negative impacts that diesel exhaust can have on brain development and academic performance in children.
Healthier Transportation Boosts Attendance
Today’s ESBs can travel up to 200 miles on a single charge. That’s plenty of range for most New York State school buses, which travel an average of about 80 miles per day, even when factoring in New York State’s hilly terrains and cold weather. ESBs are not only a safe and reliable way of getting kids to school, but they can also help keep kids in school since ESBs don’t expose students to emissions linked to asthma, a leading cause of health-related school absenteeism.
Quieter for Students, Drivers, and Support Staff
ESBs are significantly quieter than diesel- or gasoline-powered buses because they do not create any engine noise. A quieter bus lets drivers, support staff, and other adults more effectively communicate with students who are riding the bus. The quieter ride can also help students who may be reading or doing homework on the bus stay focused, and the reduced noise levels contribute to an overall calmer way to begin and end each school day.
The EV bus makes less noise and in my opinion is better to ride.
I think it’s really cool and good for the environment.
The bus feels nicer, the quiet is peaceful.
Fire Safety
Electric vehicles have proven to be very safe overall. They are less likely to be involved in fires than diesel or gasoline vehicles. A review of National Transportation Safety Board data found that 1,530 gasoline-powered vehicles per 100,000 were involved in vehicle fires in 2022 compared to just 25 electric vehicles per 100,000 electric vehicles.
Educational and Career Opportunities for the Clean Energy Future
School districts are finding creative ways to incorporate their new ESBs into exciting, hands-on lessons about electric vehicles and clean energy for students of all ages. As students advance through their K-12 education, New York State’s ESB transition is also expected to provide thousands of job opportunities in a rapidly growing clean energy industry in New York State.
Protecting Our Students’ Environment and Climate
The transition to ESBs enhances our students’ present-day education and preserves their future opportunities. New York’s students deserve safe and clean environments for field trips, outdoor education, volunteering, and other experiential learning opportunities. Furthermore, climate change and environmental degradation from burning fossil fuels like diesel and gasoline disproportionately affect children and young people, who are expected to experience more negative impacts over the course of their lifetime than older populations.
Better for Students. Better for the Entire Community.
Electrifying the State’s entire fleet of school buses would be the equivalent of removing nearly 180,000 cars from the road.
Switching to electric school buses can generate up to $247,600 in climate and health benefits per bus.
Electric school buses can travel 100-200+ miles per charge— plenty of range for the average NYS bus run of 80 miles per day.
Electric buses are already in use in at least 49 states including cold and hilly places like Colorado and Montana.
In 2022, New York State set the wheels in motion for all school districts to transition to electric school buses. As of 2027, all new school bus purchases must be electric, with the entire fleet transitioned to electric by 2035.
For questions about zero-emission school buses, send an email to [email protected].
Additional Information for School Districts and Fleet Operators
For additional information on school bus electrification, and to learn about funding opportunities for buses, chargers and fleet electrification plans please visit: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Electric-School-Buses