At first recollection, the yellow school buses of our childhood may bring back some fond memories. As the fog of nostalgia clears, you remember the worn vinyl seats, the windows glued shut and the smell of burning diesel. Back then, we never thought of the dangers bus rides took on our bodies and our environment. We didn’t connect the dots between our friendly yellow buses and our higher asthma and chronic bronchitis rates. Now we know better, and we can do better for our kids.
The upgraded yellow school buses of the future aren’t a science-fiction fantasy anymore — they’re being constructed today on factory floors. The momentum to electrify our bus fleets is growing, in large part, due to the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which allocated $5 billion toward making clean, zero-emission school buses available.
If we act now, our school districts in the Rio GrandeValley can get our fair share of federal dollars to transition to a new era of school buses. This critical change will help our kids breathe freer and stay healthier — all while creating thousands of new manufacturing jobs.
The long-term benefits of transitioning to electric buses are tremendous, but the upfront price of an electric bus is still costly. The good news is that over time, electric school buses cost less to own, with approximately $50,000 in savings per bus per year. Additionally, electric buses cost less to maintain. Just think — no engine oil changes, air filter changes, smog checks, spark plugs, coil replacements or transmission maintenance associated with traditional diesel buses. And no toxic fumes for our children to inhale.
High air pollution hits South Texas hardest. In one day in 2020, the Rio GrandeValley had the second-worst air quality in the country. Diesel exhaust fumes from school buses contribute to higher asthma rates, and too much exposure to these fumes can even lead to lung cancer. Electric school buses produce zero pollution, helping more than a million Texas kids who take the bus every day ride to school breathe cleaner air.
In addition to providing cleaner air for our environment, electric school buses provide a critical source of reliable battery storage. Electric school buses are equipped with giant batteries that can be useful during extreme events like the power failure following Winter Storm Uri. According to a new report from Environment Texas, if Texas transitioned its fleet of yellow school buses and went electric, they would add enough storage capacity to power more than 120,000 homes for a day. Why does this matter? Given the uncertainty around our power grid, this added energy storage would provide a sense of relief for communities, hospitals and nursing homes that might need backup power if the lights go out again.
As the market for electric vehicles continues to grow, Texas will need a robust work force to keep our buses moving. In 2021, Texas had the third-highest number of registered electric vehicles across all 50 states, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. These electric vehicles, buses included, will require batteries, motors and other parts. According to Deloitte, total global battery-electric vehicle sales likely will have grown from 2.5 million in 2020 to 31.1 million in 2030. If Texas doesn’t lead, we risk losing these jobs to competitors across the U.S. or China.
We thank the entire Rio GrandeValley congressional delegation for supporting President Biden’s historic infrastructure bill in the U.S. House. Because of their work, Rio GrandeValley school districts can apply to access the $5 billion Clean School Bus Program to start moving us to electric buses later this spring. The results will improve the health of our students and the environment of the Rio GrandeValley and create thousands of clean energy manufacturing jobs. Let’s not leave our kids or workers behind; it’s time to graduate to all-electric.
Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, represents Texas House District 40. He is chairman of the House Committee on Transportation.
