Three different school districts within the Greater Pittsburgh area will be receiving a total of 75 all-electric school buses thanks to a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Pittsburgh Public Schools will receive 45 busses, and both the Laurel Highlands and New Castle school districts will receive 15 buses.

This program will allow for bus fleets to be transferred over to electric vehicles, holding a great promise for the environment.

One electric bus can remove 23 tons of greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere each year. Additionally, electric buses are quieter, allowing for less disturbances to the neighborhoods they will serve.

Air quality is not a new issue in the Pittsburgh area. In April 2023, the American Lung Association put Pittsburgh as one of the worst areas for air quality, ranking 20th in the country. These statistics had citizens pushing for aid from politicians, both locally and on a national level.

Programs like these may be a leading step in controlling pollution and air quality issues in the Pittsburgh area. The EPA grant funding to convert more school bus fleets is still open, and schools in the Pittsburgh area are encouraged to apply. Applications for the grant funding are due Wednesday, February 14th.