CINCINNATI — First Student continues to lead the way in school bus electrification, reaching 1,000,000 electric school bus miles. The company operates the largest number of electric school buses, with currently more than 230 delivering safe and reliable transportation for almost 800,000 students this school year.
Reaching one million miles is a significant milestone in First Student’s electrification efforts and a strong sign of its commitment to go green. First Student has partnered with more than 50 districts to apply for the first round of funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program, awarding our school district partners 170 electric school buses.
“As the leader in school bus electrification, this showcases the immediate impact of our efforts to fuel a clean, sustainable future for our children,” said First Student Head of Electrification Kevin L. Matthews. “Our internal team of EV and consulting experts is creating a pathway of innovation benefiting communities across North America.”
Transitioning school districts to electric school buses creates cost savings from lower bus maintenance and lower fuel expense that can be placed back to the classroom. Replacing a diesel school bus with an electric one will eliminate as much as 54,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
First Student is actively deploying electric school buses across North America in 2023, including California, Oregon and Missouri. Through 2024, the company plans to add 15 to 20 electric school buses per month to its fleet.
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, route optimization, and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of about 40,000 buses. For more information, visit firststudentinc.com.
