Grants Fund New Electric School Buses

Federal and state grants help bring 15 new electric buses to Walla Walla Public Schools

Nearly half of Walla Walla Public Schools’ school bus fleet will be electric thanks in part to a $3.7 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to fund 15 electric buses and charging infrastructure through its Clean School Bus Initiative Grant Program. The district was also awarded a $1 million grant from the Department of Ecology to help support this project.

“These grants will help the district replace 15 outdated diesel buses with new electric buses,” said Director of Fiscal Services Janette Jeffris. “The EPA’s Clean School Bus Grant Program will help the district continue to do our part to support green initiatives by reducing our fleet’s carbon footprint.”

The district placed the order for the 15 electric buses this week, including six equipped with wheelchair lifts. The district will also be finalizing its infrastructure plan in the coming weeks and installing charging stations for the buses this fall. The new electric buses are expected to start arriving next spring bringing the district’s fleet total to 18 electric buses.

“This is a great opportunity for our department to have 15 brand new, safe electric buses to transport students to and from school,” said Transportation Director John Griffith. “We are proud to soon have one of the largest electric fleets in the state.”