Sanders calls for electric school buses — and they’re already on the way
Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Green New Deal is a sweeping, $16 trillion proposal to fight climate change. But one of the specific policies called for by the Vermont senator and presidential candidate appears to already be underway. Vox notes that Sanders’ Green New Deal includes a provision for electric school buses, and some school districts are already putting those buses on the road.
About 55 percent of America’s public school students get to school on buses, and about 95 percent of those buses are diesel-powered, noted Vox. That means potential exposure to diesel fumes as kids get on and off idling buses, which could impact brain development and increase risk of respiratory disease, according to Vox, which cited multiple studies linking air pollution to these health issues.
Electric school buses could also save money. As with electric cars, maintenance costs are lower thanks to a smaller number of moving parts. Electricity is generally cheaper than diesel, too. Electric buses also don’t present as much of an inconvenience as electric cars. Because they operate on set routes that…
