School leaders ask Governor Abbott for funding for electric buses

New report outlines opportunities to pay for electric school buses

Environment Texas

AUSTIN – More than 30 trustees, administrators, and transportation directors for school districts across Texas joined with environmental and health advocates in a letter to Governor Abbott calling for funding for electric school buses. The letter comes as a new report documented the benefits of electric school buses and financing opportunities. 

“Electric school buses are ready to roll, but many schools still aren’t sure how to come up with upfront costs to pay for them” said TexPIRG Director Bay Scoggin. “While electric buses can save and even earn schools $130,000 over the lifespan of the bus with our recommendations, the initial price tag often presents a hurdle for cash-strapped districts. If the state of Texas wants to invest in education, they should help ease the transition and accelerate us toward a healthier, electric future.”

The vast majority of school buses in Texas run on diesel, a climate-polluting fossil fuel that releases toxic fumes linked to life-threatening health problems such as asthma, bronchitis and cancer. Emitting over 5.3 million tons of greenhouse gases per year, not only are diesel buses bad for our children’s health, they’re also bad for the climate. However, there is a cleaner, safer and more long-term budget-friendly alternative: zero-emission electric school buses.  

The letter to the Governor asked that reallocate unspent funds from the Texas Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Program towards the “Grants for School Buses, Shuttle Buses, and Transit Buses” program, exclusively for electric buses, and support full funding for, and improvements to, the Texas Emissions Reduction Program Clean School Bus Program in the upcoming legislative session. 

TexPIRG Education Fund and Environment Texas Research & Policy Center also released a new report today identifying new, cutting-edge ways that utility companies can assist school districts in paying for zero-emission buses, and how schools can reap the long-term benefits. 

On top of health and environmental benefits, electric buses are a financially advantageous choice for school districts. The report shows that with utility investment and advancements in electric vehicle technology, schools can save over $8,000 per year. The savings add up: over the lifespan of an electric school bus battery, schools can save nearly $130,000 per bus. 

“Our kids deserve a world without diesel emissions. The transition to a zero-emission transportation sector and a widespread clean energy economy requires coordination between school districts, lawmakers and utility companies,” said Luke Metzger, Executive Director of Environment Texas.  “Only by working together can we tackle the existential threat of climate change and accelerate the process towards a zero-emission future.”

Finally, the report gives recommendations for schools, lawmakers and utility companies. Some of these recommendations include: 

• School districts should commit to transitioning to 100 percent all-electric buses by 2030, with a plan to phase out the purchase of new diesel buses immediately. They can also engage with local utilities to help accelerate the adoption of electric buses.

• Lawmakers should work with utilities and regulators to develop effective electric bus investment programs that protect ratepayers and consumers. They can also develop grant programs to assist school districts with the additional upfront costs of purchasing electric buses.

• Utility companies should invest in electric school buses. They should also reduce emissions, increase grid capacity and earn money by assisting school districts in financing electric school buses and investing in the charging infrastructure necessary for large-scale adoption.

“Getting to school shouldn’t include a daily dose of toxic pollution,” Scoggin said. “With school districts, lawmakers and utilities all working together, we can make the switch to all-electric school buses and give our kids a healthier ride to school.”

###

TexPIRG is a consumer group that stands up to powerful interests whenever they threaten our health and safety, our financial security, or our right to fully participate in our democratic society.

Environment Texas works to protect the places we love, advance the environmental values we share, and win real results for our environment. 

TexPIRG and Environment Texas are part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to getting things done.