NC will get 114 more electric school buses. Here's where they'll go
More North Carolina school buses are going electric.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Grant Program is giving $26.7 million in federal funds to buy 114 electric school buses, Gov. Roy Cooper’s office announced Tuesday.
Durham Public Schools will get 38 of those buses, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will get 27 of those buses. The buses will be distributed to lower-income, rural and/or tribal communities, according to Cooper’s office.
The EPA touts electric school buses for their reduction in asthma-linked exhaust, lower emissions, reduced maintenance and fuel costs, and their ability to provide power during outages.
“This investment is good for our students, schools, economy and planet and I appreciate the Biden Administration for investing in our communities across North Carolina,” Cooper said in a news release.
The money comes from more than $1 billion announced by the EPA on Tuesday for electric buses. It’s the second round of funding for the program, after North Carolina received funding for 31 electric buses in 2022. In total nationwide, the EPA has provided $1.8 billion toward 5,103 electric school buses to 652 school systems.
North Carolina first received funding for electric school buses in 2022 under the EPA’s multibillion settlement with Volkswagen over emissions. At the time, North Carolina set aside money for 43 electric school buses, according to Cooper's office. Following Tuesday’s announcement, North Carolina will have 188 electric school buses.
The state has more than 10,000 bus routes, not including any that charter schools may provide.
