California Invests Additional $5M in Electric School Buses

The state wants to electrify all of its school bus fleets by 2035.

1 minute read

April 25, 2025, 8:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Yellow electric school bus with preteen students exiting.

Zum Services, Inc. / Zum

California is furthering its efforts to electrify its school bus fleets, according to an Associated Press article. The state will spend $500 million on an additional 1,000 electric school buses that will be distributed among 130 rural and low-income school districts. The grant also includes funding for roughly 500 new charging stations.

California has the nation’s largest fleet of electric school buses. Around 1,100 electric buses have been put into circulation, and some district are already fully electric. California has set a goal to almost fully electrify its school buses by 2035. However, recent federal actions to eliminate states’ ability to set stricter emissions than federal agencies could endanger California’s efforts to lower transportation emissions. 

Wednesday, April 23, 2025 in Associated Press

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic place names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

October 31 - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight