New Tool Helps School Districts Transition to Electric Buses

Feb. 19, 2024

Each year in the U.S., school bus drivers pick up and drop off an estimated 20.5 million children along their routes. Combined, these children take more than seven billion trips annually, 90% of which, are on diesel buses emitting harmful fumes. But, thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, there are more funding and resource opportunities for school districts to make the transition to alternative fuels than ever before. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program is providing $5 billion over five years to replace diesel buses with low- and zero-emission options. As part of its mission to ensure everyone can choose to ride and drive electric, The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation has released a new Technical Assistance tool making it even easier for districts to transition to clean rides for kids.

The Electric School Bus Routing Tool is designed to assist fleet managers in determining the energy usage and charger power needs for their unique routes as they plan bus electrification. Through calculations based on individual situations, weather patterns, and the needs of each district, the tool helps users decide which buses, batteries, and infrastructure are right for them. This easy-to-use tool can be found at driveelectric.gov along with an instructional video voiced by a former fleet manager.

Through informative and accessible resources like this new tool, the Joint Office is working alongside communities like yours to ensure our children have the best chance at a healthy future where they can breathe clean air on their way to and from school.