Austin becomes first-ever Texas school district to commit to 100% electric buses
On Sept. 29, Austin took a critical step toward a healthier commute for kids and cleaner air and a healthier climate for all.
On that date, the Austin Independent School District (AISD) board of trustees unanimously approved a commitment to convert its bus fleet from diesel to electric by 2035.
“By going electric, the motors on the bus will be clean, clean, clean,” said Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas Research & Policy Center.
In August, Environment Texas Research & Policy Center and more than two dozen elected officials, environmental, health and school leaders wrote the AISD trustees, calling on them to electrify the fleet of more than 500 school buses.
The board’s plan envisions a steady transition to zero-emission school buses, with new EV bus purchases rising from 25% next year, to 50% by 2027, to 100% by 2030, so by 2035, the entire fleet will be electric.
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