Michigan Awards $35.9M to 23 Districts for Electric School Buses

Move over, diesel. Michigan schools are plugging in. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has announced that the state has dropped $35.9 million on electric and propane school buses, spreading 97 new "clean-powered" rides across 23 school districts.

What is the Clean Bus Energy Grant (CBEG)?

This round of funding comes from the Michigan Department of Education's Clean Bus Energy Grant program, part of a $125 million push to swap out older buses for quieter, emission-free (mostly) ones (but will they still have that 'school bus smell?). That brings Michigan's total number of electric and propane buses close to 900 statewide — though to be fair, not all of them are on the road yet, and a few are probably still figuring out how to survive January.

According to a press release, the state is pitching this as a win for air quality and student health, and sure, less diesel exhaust means less gunk in the lungs. But plenty of Michiganders are still asking the practical questions: How far can these buses go in the cold? How long does charging take? And how much does replacing one battery cost when it goes bad?

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The Michigan School Districts Receiving New Electric & Propane Buses

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Funding for this rolling experiment in Michigan comes from a mix of state and federal programs, including the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus initiative. Local schools (listed below) do have to cover part of the cost. Expect to see additional fundraisers at the following schools, which have been announced as part of the program.

Anchor Bay School District:
- $984,738
  - 3 electric buses.

Ann Arbor Public Schools:
- $4.09 million
  - 10 electric buses.

Athens Area Schools:
- $2.05 million
  - 5 electric buses.

Buchanan Community Schools:
- $161,530
  - 4 propane buses.

Chippewa Valley Schools:
- $3.48 million
  - 10 electric buses.

Dearborn Academy:
- $334,001
  - Electric charging infrastructure.

Ferndale Public Schools:
- $1.078 million
  - 3 electric buses.

Godfrey-Lee Public Schools:
- $60,343
  - 1 propane bus.

Gwinn Area Community Schools:
- $52,816
  - 1 propane bus.

Lansing Public Schools:
- $4.31 million
  - 10 electric buses.

New Haven Community Schools:
- $78,927
  - 2 propane buses.

North Branch Area Schools:
- $1.28 million
  - 4 electric buses.

Pellston Public Schools:
- $1.71 million
  - 5 electric buses.

Riverview Community School District:
- $57,294
  - 1 propane bus.

Southfield Public Schools:
- $3.72 million
  - 10 electric buses.

Standish-Sterling Community Schools:
- $57,339
  - 1 propane bus.

Stockbridge Community Schools:
- $3.49 million
  - 3 electric buses.

Traverse City Area Public Schools:
- $600,000
  - 2 electric buses.

Troy School District:
- $961,330
  - 2 electric buses.

Union City Community Schools:
- $2.18 million
  - 6 electric buses.

Van Buren Public Schools:
- $4.08 million
  - 8 electric buses.

West Bloomfield School District:
- $308,741
  - 1 electric bus.

Westwood Heights Schools:
- $778,669
  - 2 electric buses.

So yes, Michigan's bus fleet is getting an upgrade. Whether it's going to be smarter or just more expensive remains to be seen.

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