First Student moves closer to goal of transitioning 30,000 school buses to electric by 2035
CINCINNATI – First Student, the largest provider of school transportation in North America, hit another milestone in its work to advance school bus electrification, officially reaching 2 million miles driven on electric school buses this week.
“This milestone further solidifies First Student as the industry leader in school bus electrification,” First Student Head of Electrification Kevin L. Matthews said. “Electrifying our nation’s school bus fleet will help us build healthier futures for children across North America, and we are committed to our mission to transition 30,000 buses to electric by 2035. We look forward to the next million miles.”
At two million miles, First Student electric school buses have driven the equivalent of 80 trips around the world. Through its investment in electric buses, First Student has already reduced carbon emissions by over 7.5 million pounds.
First Student is delivering 15 – 20 electric buses to school districts across North America every month and there are 317 EVs on order and, First Student will reduce carbon emissions by 30,618,000 tons in the 2023/2024 school year alone.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program provides $5 billion over the next five years for school bus electrification, and First Student is actively helping school districts apply for this funding. First Student assists schools in providing cleaner transportation options through its role as their transportation provider or through its electrification consulting services.
“The benefits of electrifying school buses are tremendous, creating cleaner air, quieter streets, and better health outcomes for children and communities,” said Matthews. “We are thrilled that the administration has prioritized electrifying school buses, and are committed to working with school districts to help them benefit from this funding.”
More information on First Student’s electrification efforts, including its consulting services, can be found here.
About First Student
As a leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. With a team of highly trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of more than 46,000 buses.