Every U.S. County Benefits From Electric School Buses, Study Finds
A new study reveals that every county in the contiguous United States stands to gain from adopting electric school buses (ESBs). The research, using a novel modeling approach, traces air pollution back to its source, directly attributing health impacts to diesel-burning school buses. The findings highlight significant health and climate benefits, with some counties set to see annual benefits exceeding $30 million.
The study found that replacing just 10 percent of the most polluting diesel school buses could prevent nearly half of the total health impacts nationwide. ESBs, which produce zero tailpipe emissions and have the lowest greenhouse gas footprint, can significantly reduce respiratory illness, cognitive impairment, and cancer risks, as recognized by the World Health Organization.
New York, California, Florida, and Texas are poised to gain the most from ESBs, with average annual benefits per county surpassing $509,000. Nationally, the U.S. could see an estimated $1.6 billion in societal benefits every year. However, the research only focused on PM2.5-related premature mortality, which may underestimate the total benefits of electrification.
The greatest annual societal impact from ESBs is expected in King County, Washington, where a partnership between BMZ Group and Kiepe Electric aims to improve public transport. By transitioning to electric school buses, counties across the U.S. can expect substantial health and climate benefits, with potential annual savings reaching millions of dollars.
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