Barnwell School District 45 named EPA Clean School Bus Program award winner

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded South Carolina funding to purchase electric buses, as part of its Clean School Bus Program rebate competition.

With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EPA’s new Clean School Bus Program provides $5 billion over the next five years to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models across the country. Statewide, South Carolina was awarded nearly $59 million for clean school bus rebates which was used to award school districts the opportunity to apply for a portion of the funding. This funding provided to South Carolina was the third highest of any state in the country. In all, the State Department awarded 16 school districts in South Carolina over 148 clean school buses. As part of the application award process, Barnwell School District 45 (BSD45) sought funding and was awarded five buses valuing $1,975,000.

According to a recent press release from the EPA Region 4 Press Office, “EPA’s investment in zero-emission school buses highlights how districts will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.”

According to BSD45 Transportation Supervisor John Hilton, these new buses will help with the cost of fuel and maintenance and will also replace all of the district’s remaining state buses that don’t have an air conditioning system. He also shared, “The district’s Transportation Department will now have one of the most up to date fleet of buses in our area and the state.”

The EPA highlights the following benefits of having electric school buses in operation:

• Zero tailpipe pollution -- students, drivers, and members of the community will be exposed to significantly less harmful diesel emissions like PM and NOX
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel school buses
• Reduced maintenance costs because of less brake wear due to regenerative braking and no engine or exhaust system maintenance
• Potential for reduced fuel costs compared to diesel depending on electricity costs
• Quiet, clean operation
• Potential for fleets to partner with local utilities to feed power back into the grid when buses are not in use and electricity demand is high

“BSD45 is grateful for this award and to be a part of this new bus program. It is exciting to see what this means for students in our district and the impact it will have statewide. It is remarkable that South Carolina received the third highest state award amount in the country, and we thank our state leaders for making this possible,“ shared BSD45 Superintendent Dr. Crissie Stapleton. “Our Transportation Department, led by Mr. John Hilton, is an incredible team of hard working and dedicated employees. We are so grateful for what they do every day to safely transport our students to and from school, as well as many other places for field experiences and athletic events. They are absolutely amazing, and this is another step in the many improvements and additions we have made to our bus fleet in the past year.”