More than a Few Parts: How Electric Buses are Keeping Children Safe

As 26 million children nationwide hop on the bus daily, the buses they use have changed over the years and are now powered by engines to electric engines rather than diesel. This is a first step in a new fleet of electric buses funded under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Clean School Bus program. As hundreds of schools yearly shift to electric buses, the impact on children’s health and emission exposure has become too important to ignore.

While traditional buses run on diesel engines, the new electric buses run on large batteries, protecting students from harmful exhaust fumes, which have been linked to asthma attacks and long-term health issues. Exposure to diesel pollution can also cause cognitive issues and school performance. In addition, electric buses have benefits that go beyond health. Electric buses are much cheaper to operate, as electricity is overall less expensive. According to Jacqueline Kantor and Danielle Riedl from the World Resources Institute, the driving experience from bus drivers have been positive, the engines are much quieter and the buses don’t vibrate as much, demonstrating that these buses have multiple positive impacts on communities. 

The Clean School Bus program allots funding to replace older diesel buses with new electric ones. With over 1,170 school districts using the grant and rebate program to purchase around 8,300 school buses, the program has had an impact.

Beyond greenhouse gas emissions reductions, electric buses are providing net benefits to local communities. From quiet neighborhoods to cleaner air and better health for children, electric buses are driving the new road towards better and healthier communities.