California Launches $500 Million Program to Put 1,000 Zero-Emission School Buses on the Road

"California is showing the nation and the world how to move from ambition to action."Photo byDenisse LeononUnsplash

As students across California head back to school, the state is launching a groundbreaking initiative to enhance public health and environmental sustainability, California Governor Gavin Newsom's office stated. The new statewide funding program will introduce 1,000 zero-emission school buses, adding to California’s leadership in clean transportation. This effort builds on the 1,100 zero-emission buses already in use, with another 1,200 in the pipeline.

The program, known as the Zero-Emissions School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) program, represents the single-largest state investment in clean school buses, with $500 million allocated to help school districts replace aging buses with zero-emission vehicles and build necessary infrastructure, the Governor's office added. The program, a collaboration between the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC), is administered by CALSTART, a transportation nonprofit.

Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted the significance of this investment, stating, "California is showing the nation and the world how to move from ambition to action. This is yet another record state investment that puts the health of our kids and communities first – replacing 1,000 older polluting school buses with clean buses."