Every year, 8,000 school buses transport over 400,000 Massachusetts students to school. These diesel powered buses create harmful air pollution and contribute to climate change, yet they serve as the primary mode of transportation for students every day. Transitioning to electric school buses would provide a safer option for students, but many communities need more financial and technical support for electrification. Massachusetts must step up to provide greater support for municipalities as they electrify their school bus fleets.
Today, students will join the Massachusetts Chapter to deliver a letter to Governor Healey, calling for greater funding and support for school bus electrification. With 70 signatures from mayors, city councilors, and school board members from 35 municipalities, this letter calls for Massachusetts to commit to an all-electric school bus fleet by 2035 and for the Governor to create a $70 million fund to support school bus electrification. These actions would allow municipalities to plan their transition to electric school buses, provide immediate support for communities who are electrifying now, and increase the accessibility and impact of federal grants.
This letter delivery is just one part of a larger rally for Transit Equity Month, where advocates and community groups have come together to call for transit electrification, pollution reduction, and equitable access to transit for underrepresented communities. In Massachusetts, vehicles are the primary source of air pollution that is responsible for an estimated 2,800 deaths per year across the state[1]. Communities of color experience much higher rates of air pollution, and on average, residents of color in Massachusetts are exposed to vehicle pollution at 26% to 36% higher rates than white residents[2]. Vehicles that use fossil fuels are contributing to a public health crisis, in addition to the climate crisis. That’s why advocates are calling on the legislature and the Governor to electrify the commuter rail, regional transit authorities, and school buses. Massachusetts must take action now to protect the health of the climate and our communities.
Other states are already leading on school bus electrification, by setting mandates and allocating funds. Connecticut has set a 2040 target for 100% zero-emission school buses[3], while New Jersey has allocated $45 million in grant funding over three years[4]. New York has mandated that all new school bus purchases must be electric starting in 2027, and the entire fleet must be electric by 2035, while allocating $500 million in support funding[5]. The Commonwealth should take inspiration from these states, and follow the lead of our own municipal officials. Elected officials across the state are working diligently towards electrification, and some have already procured electric buses for their schools.
With greater state support, many more communities can transition to electric school buses. It’s time for the Governor to commit to an all-electric school bus fleet and create a future of clean and green transportation for all.
References:
[1] A replicable strategy for mapping air pollution’s community-level health impacts and catalyzing prevention, Philip J. Landrigan, Environmental Health, July 18, 2022
[2] Inequitable Exposure to Vehicle Pollution, Union of Concerned Scientists, June 2019
[3] Governor Lamont Announces Landmark New Climate Law That Will Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Transportation, Office of The Governor, June 2022
[4] Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Requiring Establishment of Electric School Bus Program, Office of the Governor, August 20 2022
[5] New York Becomes First U.S. State to Adopt Statewide Electric School Bus Mandate, WRI, June 2023