Miami plans to put 100 electric school buses on the road

Image by Al Diaz; via Miami Herald.

Miami-Dade County will get almost $20 million from the Environmental Protection Agency to help pay for 50 new electric school buses and 16 DC fast chargers, increasing the public school district's total to 100 electric vehicles.

Miami-Dade County is one of four school districts chosen to earn a total of $33,175,000 from the EPA's inaugural Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition. The incentives, made available by President Biden's "Investing in America" initiative, will assist chosen districts in purchasing clean school buses and installing supporting charging infrastructure.

According to a Biden-Harris Administration press release, the grants aim to accelerate Florida's transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles, and the implementation of ZEV buses will improve air quality for children and their families while furthering the cause of environmental justice, as well as boosting the local economy and creating more good-paying jobs.

"Today we're once again accelerating the transition to electric and low-emission school buses in America, helping to secure a healthier future where all our children can breathe cleaner air," said Michael S. Regan, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. "I've sat next to youngsters on their first clean school bus trip, and their enthusiasm exemplifies the power of good legislation. Thanks to President Biden's historic investments in America, thousands more school buses will be on the road in school districts around the country, saving money while also improving air quality.

In addition to Miami-Dade County, the other three districts that will get financing for electric school buses are:

• Hillsborough County Public School District has been awarded $7,900,000 to acquire about 20 clean school buses.
• Orange County Public Schools will get $5,000,000 to acquire about 20 clean school buses.
• The Seminole County School Board will get $525,000 to acquire about 15 clean school buses.

In addition to those monies, Highland CSB 1, LLC will get $30,660,000 to acquire 97 buses for usage in Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

These Clean School Bus scholarships are part of the second batch of funding offered for the recently established program. The EPA intends to increase financing for clean school buses in future rounds of funding.