HOUSTON — If you had to ride a bus to school, you probably remember the smell of diesel that came with them. However, school districts across the country are swapping out those old yellow school buses belching diesel fumes for electric buses.
Texas school districts get funding for electric school buses
The change is already happening and the White House is hoping to put the pedal to the metal by giving funding to school districts to make the change. It was just announced that Texas districts will get $58 million to buy electric buses.
According to The Washington Post, supporters argue school buses are an ideal candidate for a switch over to electric. They have fixed routes with scheduled breaks that allow them to charge batteries.
Although electric buses are more expensive up front, costing up to four times more than their combustion engine counterparts, they save money when it comes to fuel and maintenance since they have fewer parts to wear down.
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions
While this new push is aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions, advocates said there will also be health benefits for the kids. The children most likely to depend on school buses are lower-income and students of color. That group also has higher rates of asthma and other illnesses aggravated by exposure to diesel fumes.