Tucson Unified School District is adding 10 electric buses to its fleet.
A nearly $4 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and an additional $1 million rebate from Tucson Electric Power will help the district cover the cost of 10 electric buses along with related infrastructure, TUSD said Wednesday in a news release. The effort was approved Tuesday night by the governing board.
“It reflects our commitment to sustainability, safety, and fiscal responsibility in creating a cleaner, healthier environment for our students and community,” Charlotte Carter, TUSD’s bond program manager, said in the release. “This pilot (program) also allows us to learn and test the buses in our specific conditions.”
TUSD is set to get 10 72-passenger electric buses, five chargers and a transformer along with infrastructure to support 10 additional electric buses in the future, the release said.
With bonds, grants and rebates the final cost to TUSD will be $1.2 million, the district says.
