Across the U.S., school districts are rethinking how
students get to and from school as transportation be-
comes a focal point for both sustainability and long-
term cost control. School bus fleet electrification is
gaining momentum as districts explore cleaner, qui-
eter alternatives to traditional diesel buses. As admin-
istrators chart a path toward electric school transpor-
tation, this momentum is driven by environmental
goals, public health considerations, and the availabil-
ity of new funding and incentives.
Joe Versen is the communication and engagement
specialist with World Resources Institute’s Electric
School Bus Initiative. As Versen points out, electric
school buses are experiencing remarkable growth
across the U.S.
“Between 2020 and 2025, the number of electric
school buses on the road has grown from 415 to more
than 5,100,” Versen says. “They’re now on the road in
49 states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. territories
and more than 20 Tribal nations, transporting more
than 265,000 students to and from school each day, up
from just 21,000 five years ago.”
Kevin Matthews, head of electrification at First Stu-
dent, the largest K-12 school bus provider in North
America, has led and helped secure funding for more
than 2,000 electric buses now being deployed across
more than 100 school districts. Through his work with
the Clinton Global Initiative’s EV School Bus project,
he’s shown electric buses can match diesel on total
cost of ownership while delivering cleaner, quieter
rides in districts facing high asthma rates and envi-
ronmental concerns.
“As the largest transportation provider of electric
school buses, we’ve moved from pilots to real deploy-
ments. We’re now seeing electric school buses oper-
ating in communities across the country, and many
districts are scaling from a few buses to full fleets,”
Matthews says. “While it’s still a small percentage of
the national fleet, the momentum is real and it’s grow-
ing fast. Today, First Student has driven over eight
million EV miles with our fleet of 470 electric buses.”
So what are the advantages to schools and school
children, and why should school districts consider
electrifying fleets? Quite simply, electric school buses
provide a unique set of benefits, from cleaner, healthier air for students
and communities to the environment by decreasing carbon footprint and
providing zero emissions.
According to Matthews, at its core, it’s really about students’ health.
Electric school buses have zero tailpipe emissions, which means cleaner
air for kids on their daily ride and around school buildings. This is espe-
cially important for those with asthma and other respiratory issues.
“Beyond just air pollution, they’re also quieter, which creates a calmer
environment for students and drivers. On average, a school bus produces
noise levels of 85 decibels and the EPA recommends avoiding anything
higher than 80,” Matthews says. “From a cost perspective, districts ben-
efit from the long-term operational upside including lower fuel costs, less
maintenance, and more predictable expenses over time. When we look
at the advantages holistically, electrification is really about investing in
student well-being and community health.”
Funding & incentives
Funding and incentives for school bus fleet electrification still exist,
though some programs have evolved and access can vary by state and
federal policy.
“There are historic levels of funding and financing available to school
districts to help offset the purchase price of electric school buses,” Versen
says. “Congress has allocated billions of dollars for electric school buses
through the Clean School Bus Program, which remains on the books and
is expected to open up a fourth round of funding in the future. States have
also approved more than $2.5 billion in funds for which electric school
buses are eligible since 2012.”
According to Matthews, funding has been critical to getting electric
buses on the road. Programs like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agen-
cy’s Clean School Bus Program help make these deployments possible by
supporting both buses and infrastructure.
Feature | Electric Avenue
U.S. school districts are adopting
electric buses to improve student
health, reduce costs, and obtain
environmental funding
By Maura Keller,
EA Contributing Writer
Electrifying student transportation
First Student, the school transportation provider for Westville School District in
Illinois, deployed a new fleet of 15 electric school buses in 2024. The initiative was
supported by $5.8 million from the EPA Clean School Bus Program.
— First Student photo
42 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | MARCH 2026