Schools in Western New York are receiving 38 electric school buses with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency.

What You Need To Know

  • Nearly $96 million in grants will help schools across the state invest in a total of 355

  • Schools in Western New York are receiving 38 electric school buses

  • $8 million of that funding will provide 25 buses to Buffalo Public Schools

  • These buses are expected to be ready for students in about 14 to 18 months once all the infrastructure is in place

Nearly $96 million in grants will help schools across the state invest in a total of 355 electric school buses, and $8 million of that funding will provide 25 buses to Buffalo Public Schools. Additionally, Sweet Home Central School District is set to receive five buses and Niagara County will receive eight.

“This is First Student’s commitment to the future,” said Kevin Matthews, head of electrification at First Student. “To now do that in a zero emissions environment, because at First Student, safety comes first. And we’ve now decided to extend that safety principle to the air that the children breathe in our school buses.”

“We recognize that there’s actually emissions coming in through from the tailpipe into the cabin or into the school bus. So this is really a great win-win,” said Lisa Garcia, Region 2 administrator with the Environmental Protection Agency.

These buses are expected to be ready for students in about 14 to 18 months once all the infrastructure is in place.