# Clean Commute for Kids Act of 2021

This bill creates a federal program to help schools replace their old diesel buses with electric buses that produce zero emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency will run the program and hand out money to schools, school districts, and bus companies to buy these cleaner vehicles and build the charging infrastructure they need.

Here's what this means in practice: If you're a parent, your kids could be riding in electric buses instead of diesel ones, which means less air pollution they're breathing during their commute. Schools and bus operators can get grants, rebates, or low-interest loans to cover the cost difference between a regular diesel bus and an electric one—the bill allows funding to cover up to 100 percent of that extra cost. The program also pays for charging stations and worker training so bus mechanics and operators can maintain these new vehicles. The bill sets aside at least $1 billion per year specifically for communities that have been hit hardest by pollution, including low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, and areas with poor air quality.

The program comes with some important worker protections. Schools and bus companies that receive funding can't lay off, demote, or cut the pay of current employees. They have to provide training so existing workers can adapt to the new technology. The bill also requires that buses purchased with this money stay in service for at least five years and that old diesel engines get scrapped rather than resold. Over the next decade, Congress is authorizing $2.5 billion per year for this program, making it a substantial investment in cleaner school transportation nationwide.

Clean Commute for Kids Act of 2021

Cárdenas, Tony

Clean Commute for Kids Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises the Clean School Bus Program. Under the revised program, the Environmental Protection Agency must provide financial assistance to replace existing school buses with clean school buses that do not emit specified pollutants, including greenhouse gases.