CONCORD, N.C. — More questions than answers currently exist on what the funding future of clean school buses will look like, following program cuts, elimination of EV mandates, and executive orders from the Trump administration.

Joe Annotti, the vice president of incentives for TRC Clean Transportation Solutions, attempted to provide some clarity in “an era of deregulation” on Sunday during STN EXPO East in Charlotte. He noted that despite the belief stated by media that President Donald Trump is making unprecedented changes and reevaluations of agencies and programs, the actions are normal. Annotti relayed that presidents come in all the time, stop and relook at programs, before funds get flowing again.

He referenced 2005, when former President Goerge Bush altered federal grant structures to states by moving to “blocks,” and when former President Barack Obama immediately cut 5 percent of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) operating budget.

What is unprecedented, however, is the amount of funding being allocated to school buses, primarily clean school buses. That, by way of the Clean School Bus Program, is now in peril.

Meanwhile, Annotti said there are currently over 700 clean transportation state and local incentive programs. Of those, 124 could fund school bus projects, whereas 26 prioritize or exclusively fund school bus projects. He said $3 billion is available from the combined 124 programs, yet more than half of that ($1.8 billion) funds the 26 school bus eligible programs.

In his opinion, he said those 26 programs are the ones on the Trump administration’s chopping block.

“Gone are the days for the flat rate voucher incentives,” he said, adding there’s a renewed focus on cost-effectiveness. Federal programs covering 80 percent of the cost of the bus is probably a thing of the past.

Of the 124 programs that could fund school buses, 25 are exclusive to battery-electric and 50 of them are located in California, he added.

He discussed expectations, such as federal agencies may terminate award programs that no longer effectuate goals or agency priorities. He noted that multiple grant programs across agencies are cancelled or modified or modified.

Annotti answered attendee questions and said that in terms of the EPA Clean School Bus Program funding, rounds 3 and 4 are where he sees disruptions. Round 1, he said, is done. Round 2 awards were issued, and most are under a contractual agreement, which he said leads him to believe they are safe.

Round 3 has not yet been awarded, and the EPA has not yet issued funding decisions, which may never happen, he noted. He said Round 4, which was supposed to be announced later this year or early next, is not on his funding calendar at all.

He clarified that if the program is cut, projects would be funded up until the day that announcement is made. Any purchases made prior to a decision would still be funded.

As for the possibility of manufacturers raising their school bus prices due to the impending Trump tariffs, he said the EPA won’t allocate more award funds than called for in the original contract agreement.

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Related: GreenPower Announces First Deliveries to West Virginia under EPA Clean School Bus Program Grant

Annotti advised attendees to assess what stage in the federal reward process they are in, whether they’ve actually won award, if they’ve spent federal money, or they’re in the process of purchasing. He advised fleets to act cautiously, as money is not guaranteed, adding that when writing grants fleets need to recognize the changed priorities and tailor their message to the audience.

“Change your tune when asking for funding,” he said, noting that attendees need to consider how their proposed project is benefiting the EPA’s latest priorities. “Match with what they need to hear, not what you want to say.”

He said current unpopular topics with the feds include: Regulations, DEI/community engagement, and renewable energy. Popular topics include: Tariffs, deregulation, economic development and fossil fuels.

TRC is hosting the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo next month in Anaheim, California. School Transportation News is an official media sponsor of the event.

The post Future of Electric School Bus Funding Remains Unknown, Warns Expert appeared first on School Transportation News.

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va.,- GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced that the first four Type D all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission BEAST school buses have been delivered to its West Virginia dealer for the Kanawha County School District under Round 2 funding of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSBP).

Round 2 of the CSBP, which was funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), included an award of $18.565 million for seven West Virginia school districts to deploy 50 GreenPower all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses manufactured by American workers in South Charleston. The contract for the award from EPA was signed by GreenPower of West Virginia, the state’s dealer for GreenPower Motor Company, in December 2024.

“We are pleased to have manufactured these first four BEAST school buses for the Clean School Bus Program grant in West Virginia and delivered them within 90 days of the contract being signed with the EPA,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley. “As stewards of public dollars that are being invested by the federal government in the transition to all-electric school buses, GreenPower and other American school bus manufacturers take our role serious to ensure timely delivery of safe, sustainable and sensible school buses manufactured in the U.S. to school districts who are depending on them to provide a safe, healthy means of transportation for 25 million kids per day.”

Delivery of the West Virginia-manufactured school buses under the EPA grant was paused for a few weeks as part of the freeze on spending implemented by the Trump Administration as the new EPA team evaluated program spending. “As a result of the cooperative work done by West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, our dealer was able to receive the Round 2 grant funding for the school buses and we were able to make these first deliveries almost immediately,” Riley continued. “Personally, I am pleased that GreenPower was able to work closely with the Senator to ensure the release of the grant funds, allowing us to build the school buses with an American workforce with appropriate oversight by the Trump Administration.”

Senator Capito, who serves as Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has discussed the need for administrative changes to the implementation of the balance of the CSBP with GreenPower and others in the school bus industry. Those changes include awarding of funds through a competitive system like the Round 2 West Virginia grant instead of a random luck-of-the-draw lottery system. “The Round 2 West Virginia grant represents the intent Congress had when it created the CSBP. It is a well thought out approach that involved multiple school districts and school boards, the school bus OEM, infrastructure providers, utilities, parents and others in the planning,” Riley continued. “When this type of approach is followed, and awards are based on merits and quantifiable results, the most effective use of taxpayer dollars is achieved.”

Over the next few weeks additional GreenPower all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses will be delivered under the Round 2 grant, proceeding toward full deployment of the 50 BEAST and Type A all-electric Nano BEAST school buses awarded to the schools. Grant County Public Schools, who are currently building out their charging infrastructure under the Round 2 grant with Highland Electric Fleets, will be the next district to receive their buses.

As the leading purpose-built American manufacturer of EV school buses, GreenPower is the only all-electric OEM that manufactures both a Class 4 Type A school bus and a Class 8 Type D school bus. The BEAST is a purpose-built 40-foot Type D all-electric, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 90 students. Designed from the ground up as an EV, it is a fully integrated structure that features a strong and corrosion resistant aluminum body made from extruded aluminum, manufactured by Constellium, seamlessly mated to a high strength steel Truss (bus) chassis. The complete flat floor design allows for adjustable track seating with no wheel wells in the passenger compartment, and the high floor keeps students out of the impact zone. Combined port charging is standard with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 85 kW, allowing for full charging in less than three hours.

The School Transportation News award-winning Nano BEAST has a standard 118 kWh battery pack and a range of up to 140 miles. Configured for up to 24 passengers, it features a seamlessly integrated aluminum body made from extruded aluminum manufactured by Constellium. The Nano BEAST is built on the EV Star Cab & Chassis which is the same platform as the EV Star Passenger Van that passed the FTA Altoona Bus Testing program with one of the highest scores ever achieved. The dual port charging is standard, with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 60 kW.

About GreenPower Motor Company, Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo vans and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose-built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California. Listed on the Toronto exchange since November 2015, GreenPower completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com.

The post GreenPower Announces First Deliveries to West Virginia under EPA Clean School Bus Program Grant appeared first on School Transportation News.

Yellow continues to go green as school districts across the country modernize fleets with the latest alternative fuel technologies, to support cleaner air for students and the neighborhoods where they live. Through expanded offerings in bio- and renewable diesel, ultra-clean propane and natural gas, and battery electric offerings that eliminate tailpipe exhaust, owners and operators have options to support their sustainability initiatives in an economic fashion.

From traditional bus manufacturers to startups and new market entrants, manufacturers are offering near- or zero-emission school buses and showing no signs of slowing down. Shifting incentives and regulatory landscapes have not dimmed the prospect of the school bus industry’s clean transportation future.

The Changing Chess Board of School Bus Manufacturers

Original equipment manufacturers like Blue Bird, IC Bus, Thomas Built Buses, Collins and Micro Bird offer diversified product portfolios, including options for near-zero and zero-emission school buses. Market competition, specifically in the all-electric space, has increased with companies like RIDE, GreenPower Motor and others entering the market with zero-emission solutions.

Up until last year, trends showed that the silver bullet solution of zero emissions would be the favored choice for the school bus market. Indeed, many schools have successfully deployed battery electric fleets and are having favorable operational results. However, recent economic, political and customer demand changes have started telling a different story — diversified product lines give consumers the flexibility to find the right solution.

One of the most telling signs for electric vehicles was the slate of bankruptcy announcements, from onetime industry darlings like Lion Electric on the school bus side and Nikola Corporation on the heavy-duty truck side. Further, the fate of unprocessed orders and recently delivered assets — and the deleterious impacts of grant funding pauses — would seem to indicate that a diversification in product offerings could be a viable risk mitigation strategy during times of market uncertainty.

Incentive Structures Expected to Change for School Buses

The EPA’s Clean Schol Bus (CSB) Program has served as the primary incentive for alternative fuel school buses over the last three years. Indeed, since 2022, CSBP funding has supported over 1,300 school districts to deploy over 9,000 alternative fuel school buses. The Diesel Emissions Reduction Program (DERA) has also funded more than 3,000 clean diesel and alternative fuel school buses since 2012.

Though many diesel replacement funding programs across the country use cost-effectiveness to evaluate projects and funding levels, the school bus market has often seen a flat rate or voucher-style incentive. Most recently, the EPA set the voucher for battery electric buses at more than $300,000 per unit. With increased scrutiny on federal incentives and their effectiveness, the incentives landscape will likely move away from these flat rate structures.

Beyond the EPA’s initiatives, several states have prioritized the transition to diesel alternatives by creating grant programs that offset the upfront investment for the buses and required infrastructure. California’s most recent incentive, the Zero Emission School Buses and Infrastructure (ZESBI) Program, aligns with similar initiatives in Colorado, New Jersey, and New York that promote all-electric options. Michigan, too, prioritizes clean school buses, though its program includes eligibility for all-electric and near-zero emission options. In total, these state-level programs may drive as much as $1 billion in aggregate incentives to the alternative fuel school bus market.

Aligning with President Donald Trump’s executive orders and the focus on domestic energy, several alternative fuels seem primed to gain (or perhaps regain) momentum — renewable diesel/biodiesel, natural gas, and propane. Hardly a new technology, propane in particular has served as a clean transportation industry stalwart for decades, lauded by its fleet adopters for its ability to provide affordable, efficient, and accessible clean transportation. More and more school districts, businesses and transit agencies may review the viability of these domestically produced alternative fuel options as a means of affordably diversifying fuel supply.

Shifting the Lens: Finding Market Drivers in a New Administration

The slate of recent executive orders has introduced a new set of agendas, initiatives and motivators. While the market continues to absorb and assess the potential implications, one element stands out in stark contrast, the short-term funding landscape holds plenty of uncertainties. From the status of existing EPA programs to the planned use of funds from the Investing in Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, there is still much to understand about where future federal funding may come from for alternative fuel school buses. However, as noted above, state funding programs offer a viable solution.

Beyond incentives, additional motivators for going green include regulatory mandates and carbon credit programs. In California, Assembly Bill 579 requires school districts to purchase zero-emission buses starting in 2035, and other states such as New York and Washington have proposed or approved similar measures. The portfolio of states with carbon credit programs grew from three to four with the addition of New Mexico.

Now, New Mexico as well as California, Washington and Oregon are generating revenue for fleet operators and creating additional interest in battery electric projects.

Final Thoughts

America’s yellow school buses have made considerable strides to improve performance, air quality and safety, and these trends are expected to continue well into the future. Challenges and opportunities abound though, as market drivers, political and policy motivations, and sustainability trends continue to shift. Upcoming announcements at the Federal and state levels will be telling as to how the school bus market will need to adjust priorities and continue the adoption of alternative fuel technologies.

Upcoming Events

Trying to stay on top of the changing policy and funding landscape? Look to STN’s events over the next few months as well as ACT Expo as critical opportunities to hear directly from funding agencies, fellow school districts deploying alternative fuel buses, and manufacturing partners. ACT Expo, the largest advanced commercial vehicle technology showcase in North America, offers just that, a four-day conference bringing together the leading alternative fuel manufacturers, infrastructure providers and fleet operators. Editor’s note – School Transportation News is an official media sponsor of ACT Expo.

ACT Expo, which returns to Anaheim, California, this spring, will host a school bus sector session on April 30 for transportation directors to learn more about this ever-changing landscape. STN EXPO’s Green Bus Summits, occurring in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 23-24 and in Reno, Nevada on July 13-14, offer similar content around policy and incentives.

Joe Annotti is the senior vice president of incentives for the TRC Clean Transportation Solutions, the organizer of ACT EXPO. He presents the session “State of Green Schools Buses” at STN EXPO East in on March 23.

The post The State of Green School Buses appeared first on School Transportation News.

While several industry insiders told School Transportation News last week that it was too early to tell the impact of new Trump administration tariffs on imports, Blue Bird representatives told investors to expect a 5-percent price increase on all non-electric school buses.

The company made the statement last week during its fiscal year 2025 first quarter financial results call, which reported the company’s second-best quarterly profit and margin, the eighth consecutive quarter of beating guidance, and $250 million of electric school buses in “firm order backlog.”

“Our position is that any potential government tariffs will be passed through to the end customer so there will be no net financial impact on Blue Bird,” said Phil Horlock, who is retiring as president and CEO this week but retaining his board of director seat.

John Wyskiel succeeds Horlock on Feb. 17.

Last week, President Donald Trump paused for 30 days a 25-percent tariff on imported goods from both Canada and Mexico, though a 10-percent tariff on Chinese imports went into effect. Essentially, think of tariffs as an added sales tax by the federal government, Blue Bird CFO Razvan Radulescu said during the Q&A portion of the call on Feb. 5.

Meanwhile, Horlock said Blue Bird is confident U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Program funding will continue unfettered. He shared details from a Feb. 4 memo issued by Gregg Treml, the acting CFO of EPA, that stated a federal court injunction pausing Trump administration freezes on unspent federal program funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act “shall not be paused and disbursement of funds shall continue while ongoing litigation proceeds or until otherwise directed by a Court.”

Horlock said Blue Bird also has confirmed political support for the Clean School Bus Program with members of Congress.

He added the court order reversing the freeze should also protect nearly $80 million in Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grant Program funding from the U.S. Department of Energy that was appropriated under the Inflation Recovery Act. The funds are to be used to convert Blue Bird’s diesel motorhome manufacturing plant in Fort Valley, Georgia, into a 600,000 square-foot Type D electric school bus facility.

To address the initial pause in EPA funding, Horlock said Blue Bird reprioritized production to build fully-funded school buses earlier and pushed back build dates for bus orders to be paid for with federal money. He added the manufacturer is also prioritizing “significant new EV orders” paid for by state and local funding. Still, Blue Bird lowered the number of forecasted electric school bus deliveries to 1,000 units from the previous range of 1,000 to 1,300.

The company also noted higher internal combustion engine school bus prices compared to a year ago and at comparable levels with its competitors.

Blue Bird also said the quarter-one results beat the previous guidance and that it remained on track to meet the full-year guidance of Adjusted EBITDA at $200 million and a 14-percent margin.

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The post Blue Bird: Tariffs Would Increase Non-EV School Bus Prices by 5% appeared first on School Transportation News.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor released the following statement as the U.S. Senate approved the nomination of former U.S. Rep. Lee M. Zeldin as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The vote followed a robust dialogue with Senate biofuel champions and an encouraging confirmation hearing, during which Congressman Zeldin committed to implementing President Trump’s pro-biofuel agenda.

“Administrator Zeldin has made it clear that he understands how important American-made biofuels are to President Trump’s efforts to unleash American energy dominance,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “He’s also committed to advancing year-round E15 and ensuring that America’s farmers and biofuel producers have the regulatory certainty under the Renewable Fuel Standard to plan and invest in rural growth. We thank Administrator Zeldin for agreeing to work alongside Senator Pete Ricketts and other rural champions on Capitol Hill to deliver a much-needed boost to the farm economy and greater fuel savings for hardworking Americans with homegrown ethanol.”

The post Growth Energy Welcomes New EPA Chief appeared first on Growth Energy.

The international biofuels industry has found an unlikely ally in the waste management sector. A heightened global urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) is incentivizing renewable fuels production like never before, but the International Energy Agency (IEA) recently warned of an impending feedstock shortage for biodiesel, renewable diesel and biojet (aviation fuel) production, estimated …

The post Merging Net Zero With Zero Waste: One solution to biofuel feedstock shortage appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.