EPA gives Miami-Dade Schools $19 million for more electric school buses – NBC 6 South Florida

Your child’s chances of riding an electric school bus are going up.

The Environmental Protection Agency is giving Miami-Dade County Public Schools $19.1 million to pay for 50 electric school buses. The district already has 20 in the fleet right now, with 30 on the way as part of a grant from the Volkswagen company.

Eventually, there will be 100 electric school buses out of a total of 800 on the roads of Miami-Dade County at any given time.

“I would say it’s just the beginning of a cleaner future,” said EPA administrator Michael Regan, speaking Monday at Coral Reef Senior High School. “Transitioning to a clean transportation future means cleaner air and less pollution, it means healthier kids and healthier communities.”

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine-Cava said the county would match the school district by putting at least 100 electric transport buses on the road.

“This is a really big deal, our school system, within just two years, made the commitment, purchased 50 of them on their own and leveraged it with federal dollars to get to a hundred, that’s as many as we’re gonna have and we’re gonna be one of the very largest electric fleets in the country,” Levine-Cava said.

The drivers need to undergo some training to operate the EV buses, but one told us she approves of the new vehicles.

“This is just great for our planet, less contamination,” said Ana Martinez, one of the drivers.

Switching to electric school buses won’t solve climate change, but to the high school and college age group, it’s a significant step. A study published in the Lancet in 2021 surveyed 10,000 people, ages 16-25, and found 59% had severe climate anxiety.

Coral Reef High School senior Maria Yanez said the electric buses make a positive statement about fighting climate change.

“Yeah, I think 100%, it’s not only cool, they’re super quiet and I just feel as if we’re seeing so many cars come out like Teslas, we’re seeing Volkswagens come out electric, that seeing an electric school bus is very cool and I think it’s gonna make a difference, 100%,” Yanez said.

So far, the EPA has given Florida school districts $43 million to buy electric buses, and $2 billion nationwide.