The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the latest round of funding for the Clean School Bus Rebate Program is available to school districts. 

Applications for this year’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program are due on the EPA online portal by 4 p.m. EST on Jan. 9, 2025. Applicants can request up to $325,000 per bus for up to 50 buses per application, an increase in the total buses per project in response to stakeholder feedback for larger projects to help achieve faster fleet turnover. Funds can be used to cover bus and infrastructure costs for awardees requesting electric school buses, as well as eligible training costs for bus drivers, electricians, and others working with the new buses or infrastructure.  

Selectees may also be eligible for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits applicable to their bus and infrastructure purchases. For example, the clean vehicle tax credits for qualifying school buses are worth up to $40,000. 

Clean School Bus Program applicants and selectees can receive free technical assistance from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (JOET) through resources such as one-on-one meetings and webinars. The EPA and JOET are also able to connect school districts with local utility providers to assist them in the infrastructure planning necessary for projects including battery-electric school buses. 

School districts will proceed with purchasing and deploying their new buses in a time frame that best suits their unique situation, including factors like the number of new buses they’re deploying, utility upgrade needs, and familiarity with new bus technologies. 

Go to CleanSchoolBus@epa.gov to learn more about the EPA Clean School Bus Program.