SPECIAL REPORT
Persisting questions about the longevity of the EPA Clean School Bus Program place responsibility of funding electric school buses on states’ shoulders Written by Carol Brzozowski
S
chool districts are contemplating how to best move forward with the cleanest-emitting school bus that best meets their individual needs, be that an electric school bus (ESB), one fueled by
propane, or a cleaner diesel variety. Several factors lead to the uncertainty over more wide-
spread adoption of ESBs. Pricing, infrastructure and range remain concerns, and Lion Electric customers are still figuring out their next moves amid the company’s auc- tion following financial trouble. But none are bigger than the the fate of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) five-year, $5 billion Clean School Bus Program. Some anxiety eased in late February, after the Trump administration a month earlier put a temporary pause on award distribution, despite a memo from the EPA CFO that all program funds appropriated by the IIJA and IRA should continue to flow. Last month, the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) announced funding through the 2023 grant competition awards is now accessible. By the end of 2024, the EPA made three rounds of
awards to 1,344 school districts, totaling some $2.8 bil- lion. Over 98 percent of those funds have gone toward purchasing ESBs. NAPT noted it is not clear whether the EPA plans to
award the remaining $2.2 billion as was authorized by Congress or to let its authorization run out, adding the program has received some strong support from senators
22 School Transportation News • APRIL 2025
in states where electric buses were being purchased and in at least one state where they are being manufactured. The EPA did not respond to questions for this article. If the Clean School Bus Program lives on, one electric
vehicle insider told School Transportation News funding could be funneled toward more propane school buses. Meanwhile, Blue Bird used its first quarter results to
address the impact of the federal funding pause on ESB deliveries through the Clean School Bus Program. Some 750 ESBs were sold or scheduled for production and de- livery, whereas 250 were awarded with funding paused. Blue Bird initiated a reprioritized production plan to build
fully funded buses earlier and push back build dates for ordered buses where EPA and federal funding was paused. The company said it is processing new ESB orders
attached to state and local funding and has confirmed political support for the Clean School Bus Program from elected officials in Washington, D.C. Blue Bird also indi- cated it has lowered its range of annual forecasted ESB deliveries from 1,300 to 1,000 buses. The company noted uncertainty over the impact of tariffs means it will explore sourcing and other options with suppliers. All applicable government tariffs will be passed through to the end customer, with a potential five percent increase on all Blue Bird non-ESB buses expected by the end of February, should the tariffs on components be applied as originally proposed. School districts are exploring available options.
SCHOOL
Clean bus
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