SACRAMENTO – (INT) – California leads the nation with the most zero-emission school buses.

The?California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) have awarded $500 million to school districts and other educational agencies to buy the zero-emission school buses and chargers.

The time children spend in school bus commutes accounts for less than 10% of a child's day, yet the commutes have been found to contribute up to 33% of a child's daily exposure to some air pollutants in a diesel-fueled school bus, according to a study funded by CARB.

The school buses in this round of grants are expected to reduce 18,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually — equivalent to taking more than 4,000 cars off the road for a year.

Over 70% of the zero-emission school buses are already in use are in the state’s most pollution-burdened communities.

Story Date: April 28, 2025