As a first, the New York State is looking at electrifying all its school buses. This legislation aims for all new school bus purchases to be zero-emission by 2027. It also goes further to get all running buses to be electric by 2035. A budget of at least $500 million is expected for this school bus electrification program. New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will develop an electrification plan for New York’s school districts and also provide technical assistance for a smooth transition to 100% electric buses. The state will provide aid for installing electric bus infrastructure, including charging stations and acquiring electric buses.

There are at present close to 50,000 school buses running in New York state which run on diesel fuel, in which about two million students ride to school. Many children living in metro cities these days are prone to respiratory diseases owing to prolonged exposure to harmful pollutants in the air. This is the first attempt to safeguard the children’s health to some extent by enabling them to breathe in clean air on electric buses. Please note there are funds worth $5 billion for school districts for transitioning to electric and alternative fuel school buses.

New York became the first state in the U.S. to take this step toward safeguarding the health of its children and I think other states will soon follow suit. It is estimated that fully electrifying school buses in New York City alone would be the equivalent of taking nearly 650,000 passenger vehicles off the road. This is a welcome approach towards electrification of the fleet and choosing school buses for the same makes so much sense. In India, using electric vehicles has been mandated in government offices, it will really be nice to have electric school buses as it will raise awareness in young minds while also having a good impact on their health. School buses can easily be spotted on roads and it will also be a good way for the general public to take notice of the same.

Also, read India Looks At Electric Buses To Reduce Massive Pollution Infecting Its Cities.