PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The School District of Philadelphia is getting an $8 million federal grant to double the size of its fleet of electric school buses.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced a round of competitive grants to help school districts and bus companies replace diesel school buses with greener vehicles.
“EPA’s Clean School Bus Program has awarded nearly $2 billion for approximately 5,000 electric and low-emission buses nationwide,” EPA administrator Michael Regan said Monday.
White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidy said, because of this program, the ride to school will be different for children across the nation. “They’re going to jump into a bus that no longer pumps those toxins into their lungs. No longer will they hear that roar of a diesel engine,” Zaidi said.
Philadelphia’s grant will cover 20 new electric buses. The district currently has 20 electric buses in its fleet of more than 400. It’s expected to take delivery of the 20 buses within the next 18 to 24 months.
First Student, a private bus company serving Pennsylvania school districts including William Penn in Delaware County, is receiving money to buy 100 new buses.