Boston Orders 20 Electric School Buses, Eyes Full Diesel-Free Fleet by 2030

BOSTON — July 19, 2026 — Boston commits to first 20 electric school buses as EPA announces $500 million in federal rebates. Mayor Michelle Wu confirmed at a July 19 press event outside New Mission High School in Hyde Park that the city has officially ordered 20 all-electric school buses for deployment in the upcoming school year, part of a goal to fully electrify Boston Public Schools' 700-bus fleet by 2030. EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe announced the $500 million in immediately available rebate funds as a first installment of a five-year, $5 billion electric school bus program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, noting that electric buses still cost roughly three times as much as diesel replacements and that the rebates are designed to close that gap. BPS Transportation Director Delivrin Stanislaus said his department will apply for all available funding and is already working with Eversource on charging infrastructure at the city's three bus yards. Wu also cited the parallel launch last week of the Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools, an initial $2 billion investment in facilities across more than 120 school buildings, framing both efforts as components of the same environmental-justice commitment to the city's overburdened neighborhoods.