In the United States, school buses transport over 20 million students to and from school daily. Shockingly, over 90% of these buses are diesel powered, emitting harmful pollutants that pose serious health risks to students, especially those from low-income families and communities of color. The Michigan Clean School Bus program presents a promising opportunity to reduce this burden on Michigan communities and protect the health of its children.
Clean Fuels Michigan and twenty-five partners recently sent a letter to Michigan’s state legislators to support the Michigan Clean School Bus program. The program, if approved, will provide $150 million to support the conversion of school fleets to low or no greenhouse gas emissions operations.
One of the significant challenges to transitioning to clean school buses is the upfront price, which can be up to three times higher than that of a diesel bus. Moreover, districts will need to account for the costs of purchasing and installing charging equipment and updating their facilities. However, investing in clean school buses can bring several benefits, such as:
- Reduced Emissions: Clean buses are environmentally friendly, reducing emissions by up to 95%. Propane autogas-fueled buses are 75% cleaner than federal emission standards and reduce nitrogen oxides by 96%.
- Improved Health and Learning: Diesel buses emit harmful pollution that can lead to asthma, pneumonia, and reduced lung development in children. Studies have shown that exposure to diesel fumes can impact standardized test scores negatively. Investing in clean buses will improve health outcomes and enhance learning conditions.
- Environmental Justice: Low-income families and communities of color are disproportionately affected by air pollution, and school buses play a significant role in this. By investing in clean school buses, we can reduce this burden and promote equity.
- Cost Savings: Although clean school buses may have higher upfront costs, they are worth the investment as they reduce costs over time. The lower fuel and maintenance costs of electric school buses can result in savings of $4,000 to $11,000 each year.
Michigan schools are already leading in clean school bus deployment, with dozens of electric school buses already on the road and on order. However, additional funding is required to transition to cleaner fleets fully. The Michigan Clean School Bus Program can complement the EPA Clean School Bus Program, leveraging additional investments in Michigan communities. Other states, including California, New York, and Massachusetts, have already begun funding school districts’ transition to electric buses.
Investing in the Michigan Clean School Bus Program is an investment in Michigan’s future. This program will protect the air quality and health of children while helping districts realize reduced maintenance and fuel costs. Although federal funding opportunities are available, they are not enough to transition all the 480,000 buses in operation nationwide. Therefore, it is essential Michigan supplement the federal opportunities with additional funding sources and financing methods. By prioritizing the transition to cleaner school buses, we can build healthier, more equitable communities for Michigan’s children.
