In 2022, New York established a first-in-the-nation requirement to electrify the state’s entire school bus fleet, so that students won’t breathe dangerous diesel exhaust fumes from their own buses on the way to school. As part of this important investment in air quality and student health, all new school buses purchased by 2027 must be zero-emission, and all school buses on the road must be zero-emission by 2035.
Did you know?
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School buses are the largest form of mass transportation in the U.S.
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Nationwide, there are over 480,000 diesel school buses carrying up
to 26 million children to school each day. -
A 2005 landmark study found that children riding diesel school buses
were exposed to 5–15 times more toxins than they would have been
otherwise. -
Diesel exhaust is linked to shortened life spans, increased rates of lung,
bladder, and other cancers, and heart and lung illnesses.
Why Electric School Buses?
Electric school buses are the cleanest option available. They produce zero tailpipe emissions and could help school children breathe cleaner air.
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Electric school buses are powered entirely by electricity, typically
stored in a lithium-ion battery pack that powers the motor. -
They are safe, reliable, and commercially available, with more being
deployed in communities nationwide. -
Unlike fossil fuel-burning school buses, such as diesel or propane,
electric school buses produce zero tailpipe emissions. -
Transitioning to electric school buses helps protect student health
while also reducing pollution in the broader community.
