Transitioning to Electric School Buses in Oregon: The Benefits of Clean School Transportation for Students and Communities
- Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
With over 20 million students in the United States taking school buses per day, bus fleets provide a vital mode of transportation for communities. Many school districts across the country are transitioning bus fleets to electric vehicles, which is beneficial to community health, the environment, and reduces costs.
While this transition can be challenging due to financial and infrastructure concerns, funding and informational resources can help schools navigate the development of a clean bus fleet.
Diesel buses negatively impact community health, as they produce dangerous exhaust pollutants that can cause heart and respiratory disease (Electric School Bus Initiative).
Diesel exhaust can also negatively impact brain development, student learning, and lead to asthma.
By transitioning to electric buses, school fleets can prevent these health issues. Electric buses eliminate exhaust pollutants because they have zero tailpipe emissions, thereby reducing the exposure of communities to toxic emissions from buses (EPA).
School buses running on diesel are also harmful to the environment due to the greenhouse gas emissions they produce. Transportation in Oregon produces 40% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, so converting bus fleets to clean fuels reduces the contributing sector’s environmental impact (Electric School Bus Initiative).
Electric buses are an optimal option for bus fleets transitioning to clean fuels because they address the environmental issues associated with diesel vehicles. These clean fuel vehicles contribute less greenhouse gas emissions, as the overall lifecycle emissions of electric vehicles are between 65 and 95% lower than diesel vehicle emissions (Go Electric Oregon).
To operate diesel school buses, districts must address the maintenance and fuel costs specific to the fuel type. Diesel vehicles can face issues with exhaust and engine systems, as well as brake wear.
The cost of fueling vehicles may also be higher compared to alternative fuel vehicles due to fuel pricing (EPA). This reflects how transitioning school bus fleets to electric vehicles can also reduce maintenance and fuel costs.
According to the Electric School Bus Initiative, electric buses can reduce lifetime vehicle costs by an average of $100,000 compared to diesel school buses.
While transitioning school bus fleets to electric seemingly addresses several issues, it can nonetheless be difficult for districts to gain the financial support necessary for the vehicle change.
The Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition can ease the difficulty of this transition by connecting school districts with funding and training resources.
To learn about current opportunities from the CWCC, check out the resources page here.
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