Last week, Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation that would invest $25 billion to convert the entire US fleet of ICE school buses to electric vehicles. The bill would authorize federal grant money over the course of 10 years, and 40% of the funds would be specifically devoted to replacing school buses operating in mostly nonwhite, poorer communities.
In the US alone, school buses account for 90% of the total buses on roads and regularly transport about 25 million children per day. Studies have found that toxic emissions from gasoline and diesel engines inhaled by children during their commutes to and from school may contribute to respiratory illnesses.
Furthermore, these emissions have been linked to poor academic performance. Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif explains: Transitioning our school bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles is an essential aspect of building equitable, sustainable infrastructure and is a wise investment in our children, our environment and our future.
Read the article at Electrek.
