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    First Student and Providence Public Schools Deploy 4 Zero-Emission Electric School Buses in Rhode Island

    Nov. 30, 2023
    $1.2 million in funding was provided by the American Rescue Plan’s Electric School Bus rebate program, which helps school districts replace existing diesel buses with zero-emission buses
    Image Source: First Student
    6568a714df64a4001e9aeb17 First Student

    First Student and Providence Public Schools, along with federal, state, and city leaders, have announced the deployment of four zero-emission electric school buses in the City of Providence, Rhode Island. 

    The buses will not only function in the Providence School District but also replace four diesel buses in the district’s fleet. The four buses also represent First Student’s first electric vehicles deployed in Rhode Island. 

    "Electric school buses provide quieter, cleaner, healthier, and safer rides for students, ensuring they start their day ready to learn and achieve their full potential," said First Student Head of Electrification Kevin L. Matthews. "We are proud to help Providence Public Schools deploy the district's first electric buses, which can provide better learning experiences and healthier futures for children, and we are excited to see this transformative effect here in Providence."

    To purchase the electric buses, $1.2 million in funding was provided by the American Rescue Plan’s Electric School Bus rebate program. The program, administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, is designed to help school districts replace existing diesel school buses with zero-emission buses. 

    A second grant, provided by Rhode Island Energy, helped fund the purchase of bus chargers and the development of a charging infrastructure. 

    "Today's announcement is a great federal investment in Rhode Island's families, our environment, and our future," said U.S. Representative Gabe Amo. "I am excited that this funding will enable our students to reliably get to school on electric school buses while helping us fight climate change, build a greener world for the next generation, and help us improve our air quality."

    This electric school bus purchase agreement will help advance First Student’s goal of transitioning 30,000 diesel buses to electric by 2035 to continue improving the health and well-being of even more students and communities. 

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.