The Environmental Protection Agency is using funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help replace schools’ existing buses and a government official is pushing rural schools to take advantage.
Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand says the “Clean School Bus Program,” would allow schools to replace existing school buses that are 2010 or older with new buses that use electric, liquid natural gas or propane. Sand states that this program would save school districts a lot of money.
“All of them are going to save a ton of money on gas for our school districts, which obviously are very pinched right now with inflation and the fact that the legislature hasn’t funded them even to keep up with the pace of inflation. Before inflation was something we were all talking about every day. So the more pinches they’re feeling, the better. This program is going to look for local school districts here.”
Sand adds he is going to look into funding for the infrastructure needed to charge an electric bus, but he notes every school district would be different.
“Look at what the electricity, which is much cheaper, would cost every year and then figure out, okay, if you had to have a bunch of 220 outlets for charging, you know, how’s that pencil out? Are you going to pay for it in three years? They’re going to pay for it in ten years. But folks are going to want to look into that before they decide whether it’s right for them.”
Sand explains that there should be no reason for Iowa Schools not to take advantage of federally funds to improve our schools.