While the industry awaits information on the remaining $2.3 billion available through the EPA Clean School Bus Program, three U.S. representatives hope to extend the program through 2031, reauthorizing another $1 billion in funding annually for five more years.

To date, the CSBP has awarded $2.7 billion to replace more than 8,500 school buses, reaching nearly every U.S. state. More than 5,200 electric school buses funded through the program have already been delivered to schools. Ninety-one percent of the new school buses applied for were electric. The remaining 9 percent consisted mostly of propane with a small number of CNG also awarded. No new CNG-powered school bus models are being manufactured.

The Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act builds on the Clean School Bus Program funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in 2021. The program was expected to award $5 billion over five years, through competitive grants and rebates. However, following President Donald Trump’s return to office, the funding has reached a standstill. The last funding opportunity from the EPA was the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebate Program, which opened September 2024. However, the EPA canceled the rebate and no organizations received awarded funds. The last round of distributed funds was the 2023 rebate program.

The new legislation would amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 by replacing the program’s current authorization period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 with fiscal years 2027 through 2031. Under the existing statute, the program is authorized to receive $1 billion annually, totaling $5 billion. Rep. Jahana Hays, D-Conn., introduced the bill Oct. 9 and was joined by Reps. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, and Buddy Carter, R-Ga.

“Since I came to Congress in 2019, I have advocated for clean school bus funding. As an educator with over a decade of classroom experience, I know how damaging diesel exhaust can be for student well-being and learning. The consequences of diesel emissions extend to our environment, exacerbating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions,” Hayes said in a statement. “The Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act will help to provide cleaner and healthier air for school children in Connecticut and across the country, support clean energy jobs, and protect our environment for decades to come.”

The legislation would maintain the existing funding structure, which allocates $500 million annually for clean and zero-emission school buses and another $500 million exclusively for zero-emission school buses. Funding supports the replacement of older school buses with cleaner alternatives.

It does not establish new grant requirements or change program eligibility. Rather, it extends the existing authorization for five additional years.

According to a press release, The Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act is endorsed by the American School Bus Industry Coalition which includes Blue Bird, First Student, Beacon Mobility, National Express, Highland, Greenpower Motor Company, National School Transportation, Student Transportation of America, and IC Bus. Additional endorsers include the American Bus Association, American Asthma and Allergy Foundation (AAFA), League of Conservation Voters, Moms Clean Air Force, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists, and World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Electric School Bus Initiative.

Sue Gander, director of WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative, stated that children’s health is not a partisan issue.

“As this bill shows, there’s real enthusiasm on both sides of the aisle to give children the clean ride to school they deserve,” she said. “This bipartisan support is no surprise, as 51 percent of school districts with electric school buses on the road or coming soon are in Congressional districts represented by Republicans.

Related: EPA Opens $180 Million in 2026 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Grants 
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Related: School Buses as Power Plants? Real-World V2G Journey Offers Roadmap
Related: Updated: EPA Seeks to Expand Fuel Scope of Clean School Bus Program

“The Clean School Bus Program has been a game-changer, answering school districts’ call to replace aging diesel buses with clean, zero-emissions vehicles in rural, suburban and urban communities alike,” Gander continued. “Replacing diesel buses with electric buses protects children from the dangers of diesel exhaust pollution, which disproportionately impacts low-income and Black communities.”

She added that electric school buses are popular with school districts that use them, especially the drivers behind the wheel. The number of ESBs on the road today is 12 times higher than it was five years ago, she noted.

“With diesel prices at record highs, Congress has a chance to help school districts save big on fuel costs and improve children’s health at the same time,” she said.

Meanwhile, First Student posted on Facebook that it welcomes the bipartisan introduction of the legislation.

“As the program’s largest recipient of funding, First Student has seen firsthand its importance in helping bring zero-emission school buses to our customers students and communities we serve,” the post reads. “Continued bipartisan support for this program is important to helping school districts and communities access funding for cleaner school bus technologies, including electric school buses.”

The school bus contractor added that reauthorizing the program would help preserve a pathway for Congress to continue supporting ESBs.

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Day three of a school bus driver strike has left nearly 6,000 Princeton City Schools students without their usual transportation, reported WCPO 9 News.

Contract negotiations between First Student and its school bus rivers represented by OAPSE/AFSCME Local 184 broke down last week. The union formed a picket line as drivers call for higher wages, better benefits and improved working conditions. Those talks were reportedly set to resume Tuesday.

The strike affected approximately 5,900 students and prompted the district to activate a contingency plan. DLocal 184 President Tarelle Harris said via the article that some employees struggle to afford basic necessities. “We can’t pay for fuel to even get to work. We can’t pay for food for our families,” Harris said.

Lead union negotiator Derryl Hall said via the article that the lack of employer-paid health insurance remains a major sticking point. According to Hall, many drivers rely on Medicaid, Medicare or plans obtained through the Affordable Care Act.

Union representatives also cited staffing shortages, saying the school year began with several routes unfilled, and some employees were required to drive additional routes.

Veteran driver Bobby Cornett reportedly said that improved compensation and benefits could help First Student recruit and retain drivers. Cornett said he owes $146,000 from one surgery and was required to pay $39,000 before undergoing another procedure.

Drivers said they want to return to transporting students. Harris, a Princeton graduate, said he became a driver because he wanted to give back to the district.

First Student said via the news report that it was “deeply disappointed” by the strike and disputed the union’s description of negotiations. The company said its latest proposal included an average wage increase of approximately 27 percent over a four-year contract.

First Student also said it offered to pay for mediation and provided multiple opportunities to continue bargaining. It alleged union leaders canceled scheduled negotiations, declined private mediation and ended discussions despite progress.

“The facts are clear: We came back to the table, and they did not,” the company stated via the report.

Hall disputed those claims, saying negotiations continued late Sept. 29, but produced “absolutely no progress.”

The district distributed instructional packets before the strike and provided online learning resources. Students who miss school because of transportation problems will not be penalized, district officials said.

Related: School Bus Drivers Strike in Southern California
Related: Washington School Bus Drivers Authorize Strike
Related: School Bus Driver Shortages Create Wider Consequences for Students
Related: Iowa Bus Driver Fighting for Improved Wages, Benefits

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A 7-year-old Cincinnati Public Schools student with special needs died while riding a school bus, and her family is seeking answers about what occurred during the approximately 90-minute trip home.

Ngone Talla, a Roselawn Condon School student, was nonverbal with developmental disabilities and rode the school bus in a wheelchair. Her father, Abdoula Talla, told local media that Ngone appeared healthy and happy when she went to school Wednesday morning.

Cincinnati Public Schools confirmed in a statement provided to School Transportation News that Ngone died later that day while on her school bus.

“Our hearts remain with her family and everyone who knew and loved her,” the district stated. “This is an unimaginable loss for them and a heartbreaking time for the entire CPS community, and especially those at her school.”

Ngone’s family said the bus arrived late at their Northside home at approximately 5 p.m. Abdoula said home surveillance video showed the bus remaining outside for 10 to 15 minutes before its wheelchair ramp was lowered.

Ngone’s 12-year-old sister, Marema Talla, reportedly went outside after her mother told her the school bus had arrived. She said a bus employee eventually invited family members on board, where they found Ngone motionless in her wheelchair.

Marema told local media that Ngone’s lips appeared dry, cut and bleeding, and that she could not detect a pulse or breathing. She said an bus attendant told her something had been coming from Ngone’s mouth before she became still.

Authorities have not confirmed that account or said when during the ride Ngone became unresponsive.

Abdoula said his wife and children called him after discovering that Ngone was not breathing. He said he called 911 while rushing home. Ngone was transported to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The family is questioning why emergency responders were not called before the bus reached their home. Investigators have not said if district transportation staff or other students on school bus knew Ngone was in distress during the route or whether earlier intervention could have affected the outcome.

Substitute Monitor Working the Day of Fatality

Abdoula said the school bus route typically had a driver and an attendant responsible for monitoring students. He said the attendant working Wednesday was not Ngone’s regular attendant.

First Student, which operated the bus, stated in an email to STN that it is cooperating with local authorities and the school district.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of a student in Cincinnati and are fully cooperating with local authorities and the school district on conducting a thorough investigation,” the company stated.

First Student declined to answer questions about when employees noticed Ngone was unresponsive, whether they contacted emergency services and whether the attendant was a substitute. The company cited the active investigation.

The Cincinnati Police Department also confirmed in an email to STN that it is conducting a death investigation but declined to release additional information because the investigation remains ongoing.

The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office has not publicly announced Ngone’s cause or manner of death.

Ngone’s family remembered her as funny, energetic and loving. Abdoula said he had communicated with her teacher earlier Wednesday and was told his daughter was having a good day.

“I just want to know the truth,” he said. “She’s a lovely baby, and I just want to know the truth.”

Cincinnati Public Schools said its Crisis Response Unit has been supporting students and employees at Roselawn Condon School and throughout the district.

Related: (STN Podcast E321) The Mission: Supporting Education & Independence for Students with Special Needs
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Related: Alternative School Transportation: Roadmap for Decision-Making For Children with Disabilities and Special Needs

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BROOKLYN, N.Y., – First Student, North America’s largest student transportation services provider backed by EQT Infrastructure, and Con Edison, today announced the completion of the first phase of an electric school bus project serving the New York City Department of Education. The project brings together electric school buses, First Student’s First Charge infrastructure solution, advanced bi-directional charging technology, and a cost-effective approach to fleet electrification in one of the nation’s most complex urban environments.

“We’re incredibly proud of the work we’re doing with Con Edison and the progress we’re making together to advance electric school bus transportation,” said John Kenning, CEO and President of First Student. “Our mission is to provide the safest, most reliable, and efficient ride to school, so that students arrive ready to learn and achieve their full potential. Living that mission means continuing to live our values, including setting the highest standards for student transportation. Safety will always be at the heart of everything we do, and we’re proud to pair that commitment with innovation that is improving the sustainability of student transportation.”

At the center of the project is First Charge, First Student’s innovative trenchless, modular charging infrastructure solution that reduces costs and accelerates time to market. By avoiding traditional underground trenching, the installation reduced infrastructure construction costs by 13% while minimizing construction complexity and disruption, an especially important advantage in dense urban environments like New York City.

“Con Edison supports innovation to help make transitioning to electric vehicles affordable for our customers,” said Vicki Kuo, senior vice president of Customer Energy Solutions at Con Edison. “Eliminating the need to bury the service line to these chargers lowers the upfront costs for First Student and is a strategy that other fleet owners can replicate to save money and complete projects more quickly. Replacing inefficient, fossil fuel-powered buses with vehicles that produce no tailpipe emissions will help keep our region sustainable.”

Con Edison and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) contributed funding for the project. The funding included six bus vouchers awarded through NYSERDA’s New York School Bus Incentive Program through First Student’s school bus manufacturer, International, as well as funding for four retrofit buses.

This project is also exploring ways to decrease energy costs for fleets. Using advanced load management software, the electric school buses charge during off-peak hours when energy is less expensive, not only decreasing complexity but also ensuring energy is used efficiently.

First Student is continuing to expand its electrification operations in New York with the addition of 40 new electric school buses. First Student is also considering additional initiatives at its Brooklyn facilities, including expanded solar use and the creation of a smart energy hub.

NYSERDA is supporting the purchase of six electric school buses for this project through the New York School Bus Incentive Program and through First Student’s vendor, International, and four retrofit buses through the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program.

“This project is exactly the kind of critical infrastructure investment to which EQT is committed across our portfolio – pairing patient, long-term capital with practical innovation that strengthens energy security and accelerates the shift to cleaner transportation,” said Crosby Cook, Partner at EQT Infrastructure. “First Student’s work with Con Edison demonstrates that the right partnership between fleet operators and utilities can make electrification more affordable and scalable.”

“Electric school buses offer a healthier, quieter transportation experience for students while reducing pollution in the communities they serve,” said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris. “Projects like this demonstrate how thoughtful planning, innovative charging solutions, and strong partnerships can help lower costs and accelerate the deployment of electric school buses in New York City and across the state.”

“Deploying electric school buses at scale requires more than vehicles; it requires the right infrastructure, technology, and utility partnership,” said Kevin Matthews, Head of Electrification at First Student. “Working with Con Edison, we’ve demonstrated a more efficient approach that can help overcome some of the cost and construction challenges that have traditionally made fleet electrification difficult in dense urban environments.”

During the 2025-26 school year, First Student operated approximately 490 electric school buses, with more than 550 additional vehicles on order. The company has surpassed 11.2 million miles driven in electric buses.

To learn more about First Student, visit www.firststudentinc.com.

About First Student
First Student, the leading student transportation services provider in North America, safely transports millions of students across the U.S. and Canada each day. With a fleet of more than 48,000 vehicles and a workforce of highly trained drivers, the company partners with school districts, divisions, and boards to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient transportation solutions that families can depend on. Recognized as a CIO 100 Award winner and named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026 list, First Student provides a range of transportation services, including special-needs transportation, routing and fleet management, vehicle electrification, maintenance services, and charter transportation. Through its proprietary HALO technology platform, First Student is helping shape the future of student transportation by integrating safety, operations, maintenance, workforce management, and customer communications into one intelligent transportation ecosystem that enhances safety, improves operational performance, and creates a more connected transportation experience for students and families. Learn more at https://firststudentinc.com

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CINCINNATI, Ohio -First Student, North America’s largest student transportation services provider, today announced new enhancements to First View, the leading parent transportation app that brings together traditional yellow bus and First Alt alternative transportation into one connected experience. Whether a student rides a yellow bus, an alternative vehicle, or both, First View gives parents one place to stay informed with real-time visibility, communication, and support throughout every journey.

With more than 1.1 million downloads and 300,000 active users as of June 30, First View continues to help families stay informed and confident about their student’s transportation. New enhancements for the 2026–2027 school year expand the app’s capabilities while making it even easier for families to manage transportation across multiple students, multiple vehicles, and multiple service types – all within a single experience.

“Every great school year begins with a safe ride, and families deserve confidence in that journey,” said John Kenning, President and CEO of First Student. “Our mission is to provide the safest, most reliable, and most efficient ride to school so students arrive ready to learn and achieve their full potential. First View brings that mission to life by giving families greater visibility and confidence in their child’s journey, whether they travel by yellow bus, alternative transportation or both. It’s another way we’re living our values of Caring for Our Students and Setting the Highest Standards while creating a safer, more connected transportation experience for every student and family we serve.”

New Features and Enhancements for the 2026–2027 School Year

Track multiple students in one app, regardless of the type of vehicle they ride to school.

Expanded language support, now available in 15 languages including English, Spanish, Canadian French, Arabic, Chinese, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Somali, Portuguese, Swahili, Haitian Creole, Nepali, Amharic, Russian, and Pashto.

Push and in-app notifications when the vehicle arrives for pick-up and drop-off, both at the stop and at school.

Trip change notifications, including driver, vehicle, and schedule updates, as well as when a student boards or exits the vehicle.

Service alerts from districts/divisions and locations, including weather changes, delays, and road closures.

Expanded multilingual customer support, including a First Alt call center that is 50% bilingual, outbound Spanish-language parent outreach, and a dedicated Spanish-language inbound support line for families.

Unlike most transportation apps that support only one type of service, First View’s parent app allows families to manage transportation for every student in one place. Parents can track yellow bus routes, alternative transportation, and even charter transportation for summer programs through a single app, creating one seamless transportation experience regardless of how their children travel to and from school. This unified approach is especially valuable for families with multiple children or students whose mode of transportation changes throughout the school year.

“Providing families with accurate and timely transportation information is important to us,” said Lisa Riveros, Director of Transportation for Wichita Public Schools. “I really like how First View gives parents real-time visibility into their student’s transportation so they can stay informed, know what to expect, and have confidence that their child is getting to and from school safely.”

Families can also share feedback after every trip through First Student’s Feedback Portal, helping the company continuously improve the transportation experience.

For families who use First Alt, First Student’s alternative transportation service, First View provides additional capabilities designed specifically for individualized transportation. Parents can view and cancel same-day rides, manage trips scheduled up to 14 days in advance, access driver and vehicle information, and receive notifications when their student boards or exits the vehicle. The app helps ensure a better experience for families whose students have disabilities.

“The expansion of First View to 15 languages is a tremendous benefit for our families,” said Victoria Storti, Transportation Specialist for Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District. “Every parent deserves access to timely transportation information in a language they understand. By offering more language options, First View is helping us create a more inclusive experience, improve communication with families and ensure more parents can stay connected to their student’s daily transportation.”

The enhancements are being introduced as part of First Student’s broader back-to-school readiness efforts, helping families start the school year with greater confidence while reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering one connected transportation experience across every student, every vehicle, and every journey. First Student’s continued investment in technology and innovation was recently recognized with a 2026 CIO 100 Award, honoring organizations that use technology in innovative ways to deliver business value.

First View is available to download in the App Store or Google Play.

About First Student
First Student, the leading student transportation provider in North America, safely transports millions of students across the U.S. and Canada each day. With a fleet of more than 48,000 vehicles and a workforce of highly trained drivers, the company partners with school districts, divisions, and boards to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient transportation solutions that families can depend on. Recognized as a CIO 100 Award winner and named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026 list, First Student provides a range of transportation services, including special-needs transportation, routing and fleet management, vehicle electrification, maintenance services, and charter transportation. Through its proprietary HALO technology platform, First Student is helping shape the future of student transportation by integrating safety, operations, maintenance, workforce management, and customer communications into one intelligent transportation ecosystem that enhances safety, improves operational performance, and creates a more connected transportation experience for students and families. Learn more at https://firststudentinc.com

About First Alt
First Alt, the alternative transportation service from First Student, facilitates safe, reliable, and customized transportation for students with specialized needs. Backed by First Student’s quality training, technology, and safety standards, the First Alt service ensures that every student, regardless of ability, housing, or placement, receives equitable, high-quality transportation to and from school. Learn more at: https://firstalt.com

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CINCINNATI, Ohio – As North America’s largest student transportation services provider, First Student enters the new school year with strong safety, technology, and operational performance. As millions of students prepare to head back to school, the company today announced key safety, technology, and operational milestones from the 2025-26 school year, highlighting measurable improvements that reinforce its commitment to providing the safest, most reliable transportation experience while helping students arrive ready to learn and achieve their full potential.

Throughout the 2025-26 school year, First Student continued investing in its drivers, technology, and operations to further strengthen safety across its network of more than 48,000 vehicles operating from 530+ locations. These investments, combined with the continued expansion of the company’s proprietary HALO platform and AI-powered technology, delivered meaningful improvements in driver performance, operational visibility, and the overall student transportation experience.

“Every great school year begins with a ride. Our mission is to provide the safest, most reliable, and most efficient ride to school, so every student arrives ready to learn and achieve their full potential,” said John Kenning, CEO and President of First Student. “That mission guides every decision we make and is brought to life through our Values, especially our commitment to Care for Our Students and Set the Highest Standards. Every investment we make, from developing our people to advancing our proprietary HALO platform, reflects those commitments. The results we’re sharing today demonstrate what’s possible when you combine an unwavering focus on safety with a culture of continuous improvement and a determination to deliver the very best transportation experience for every student, every day.”

At the center of these investments is First Student’s proprietary HALO technology platform, which brings together advanced safety technology, enterprise applications, fleet health and preventative maintenance, driver tools and compliance, and communication channels, into one integrated transportation ecosystem. By allowing systems to interact with each other and providing a repository for data sharing across applications, HALO gives school districts and divisions greater visibility, improves operational performance and creates a safer, more connected transportation experience for students and families.

Working alongside Samsara (NYSE: IOT), First Student leveraged AI-powered safety deployments to achieve a 49% reduction in rolling stops and 45% decrease in inattentive driving1. First Student’s commitment to advancing safety through technology has also earned industry recognition, with David Perez, Vice President of Safety at First Student, named Technology Leader of the Year in Samsara’s 2026 Connected Operations Awards.

“Receiving Samsara’s Technology Leader of the Year award is an incredible honor, but it truly reflects the work of our entire First Student team,” said David Perez, Vice President of Safety at First Student. “Our mission is to provide the safest, most reliable ride to school, and technology helps us deliver on that promise every day. By pairing innovation with our deep commitment to safety and care for our students, we are setting a higher standard for student transportation and creating safer experiences for the communities we serve.”

The company’s commitment to student well-being is demonstrated through its proprietary First Serves behavioral support program, which bridges the gap between the classroom and the school bus by connecting experienced transportation professionals, educational and behavioral experts, school district leaders, and families. Designed specifically for the student transportation environment, First Serves empowers drivers with the skills and support to effectively manage student behavior and create a safer, more positive transportation experience for students, drivers, and the districts they serve.

“Before First Serves, I often felt frustrated and overwhelmed trying to manage challenging behaviors,” said Kathy Sands, First Student van driver for Berkshire Local School District. “This training gave me the tools to understand why behaviors happen and how to respond with empathy and confidence. The difference has been life-changing for my students and for me. My van is now calmer, my students are happier, and I truly love coming to work each day.”

First Student is setting the standard for electric student transportation and operates a large electric school bus fleet. During the 2025-26 school year, the company operated approximately 490 electric school buses, with more than 550 additional vehicles on order. Having logged more than 11.2 million electric miles, First Student continues to demonstrate how transportation at scale can accelerate innovation while delivering proven operational performance for school districts and divisions.

As students head back to school, families want confidence that their child’s ride will be safe, reliable and on time. First Student’s First View® parent tracking app now connects more than 300,000 parents through real-time bus and alternative vehicle tracking, estimated arrival times, and transportation updates. With a 4.8-star rating on the iOS Store and multilingual capabilities, First View helps strengthen communication between school districts and families while creating a more connected transportation experience.

These continued investments have earned recognition across both the transportation and technology industries. During the 2025-2026 school year, First Student was named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026 list and received recognition from TIME Best Inventions, Fast Company Next Big Things in Tech, and the Edison Awards for the innovation and impact of its HALO technology platform. Together, these achievements reflect First Student’s continued commitment to helping school districts, families, and students start every school year with confidence.

About First Student
First Student, the leading student transportation provider in North America, safely transports millions of students across the U.S. and Canada each day. With a fleet of more than 48,000 vehicles and a workforce of highly trained drivers, the company partners with school districts, divisions, and boards to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient transportation solutions that families can depend on. Named to the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026 list, First Student provides a range of transportation services, including special-needs transportation, routing and fleet management, vehicle electrification, maintenance services, and charter transportation. Through its proprietary HALO transportation technology platform, First Student integrates safety, operations, maintenance, workforce management and customer communications into one intelligent transportation ecosystem that is helping shape the future of student transportation.

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