Policy Position Statement

Electrify the U.S. School Bus Fleet 

The Electric School Bus Coalition (ESBC) is comprised of a diverse stakeholder network of bus manufacturers/providers, electric utilities, NGOs, and material providers that provides critical solutions towards zero emissions by accelerating the expansion of electric school bus fleets for a cleaner, healthier economy and nation. Electric school buses (ESBs) bring the following benefits: 

Healthier Air for Our Kids: ESBs are a naturally equitable solution across American communities that bring significant health benefits to children who ride school buses every day. 

Economic Growth Potential: With 480,000 school buses on the road today, accelerating the deployment of ESBs and charging infrastructure creates opportunities. 

Global Competitiveness: The global ESB market is expected to grow 19% annually over the coming years from just over $9 billion in 2018 to almost $32 billion by the end of 20251. All four major school bus manufacturers serving the North American market are manufacturing domestically, which makes school bus electrification a chance for American manufacturing leadership. 

Electric Grid Support: ESBs provide utilities and grid managers with an important new tool for supporting the national electrical grid during times of stress. 

Legislative Solution Priorities 

Several versions of federal legislation and policy positions have been introduced seeking to electrify the school bus fleet through grants to replace diesel school buses with electric, zero-emission buses. The ESBC supports the following priorities within any final legislative vehicle: 

• $25B in funding for ESBs and associated charging infrastructure over a 10-year period in a manner that spreads the investment across the entire United States.
• Coordination between EPA, DOE, and DOT as well as with State Energy Offices.
• Priority considered for low-income, EJ, and rural communities, including those where public-private partnerships may spur increased ESB adoption.
• 100% funding for low-income communities with cost-share otherwise to maximize the leverage of federal funding.
• Equal treatment across school districts, regardless of whether they own and operate their own fleets or use a third-party fleet operator.
• Consider the use of point-of-sale rebates since they are the most efficient approach for school districts.
• Ensuring that any scrappage (removing internal combustion engine buses from service) requirement provides school districts with some flexibility to execute the vehicle scrappage so they have sufficient time to plan and execute fleet transition while still guaranteeing that polluting buses are removed from use. 

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