Districts can request reimbursement as they upgrade or replace diesel-powered buses. Roughly $13.5 million is available through the grant program, which is administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
The details
Everyone benefits when schools transition to cleaner transportation, TCEQ Program Specialist Nate Hickman said.
“The new school buses certainly have little to zero exhaust ... so the air in and around the school buses are cleaner,” Hickman said. “That’s great for the children, the bus drivers, teachers at the school and the administration, but also the immediate communities [that] buses drive in and around.”
Districts can choose to upgrade existing diesel buses to limit emissions or purchase new diesel, propane and electric-powered vehicles. Buses must have been built before 2007 to be eligible for replacement, according to the TCEQ.
“The engines that were in those [older] buses are large, much dirtier diesel engines for the most part, so the exhaust coming out of those is pretty heavy-duty,” Hickman said. “You can even see it with a particulate matter.”
About the program
Applications for the 19th year of the Texas Clean School Bus program opened Feb. 14. Districts have until Oct. 14 to apply, but Hickman said funding is typically exhausted within the first few months.
The state covers up to five projects for each district, including full reimbursement for retrofitting projects and up to 80% reimbursement for new school buses.
The Texas Legislature launched the program in 2005.
Why it matters
Compared to their diesel-powered counterparts, electric buses are more fuel-efficient, cheaper to maintain and quieter.
One electric bus can eliminate 1,690 tons of carbon dioxide in 12 years, which is equivalent to taking 27 gas or diesel-powered cars off the road, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported.
Diesel exhaust contains pollutants that can cause reduced lung function, make children more susceptible to pneumonia and even lead to cancer, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Austin ISD recently received $6.25 million in federal funding for 25 new electric buses. The district plans to convert all of its diesel buses to electric by 2035, as previously reported by Community Impact.
Near Houston, Cy-Fair ISD purchased 10 electric buses using local grant money.
