Robert’s Hawaiʻi receives $200,000 in federal rebates for 10 energy-efficient school buses

The US Environmental Protection Agency is providing Robert’s Hawaiʻi School Bus, Inc. with rebates totaling $200,000 to fund 10 cleaner buses, which will improve air quality at schools and in communities, reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and better protect children’s health overall.

The funding is part of the EPA’s two national competitive efforts to support transitions to cleaner school buses: the 2021 American Rescue Plan’s Electric School Bus Rebates and the 2021 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act’s School Bus Rebates.

Robert’s Hawaiʻi School Bus, Inc. will receive $200,000 in school bus rebates from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. This program will provide about $10 million across the country for the transition of 444 old, high-polluting diesel school buses with new electric, diesel, gasoline, propane or compressed natural gas school buses that meet current emission standards.

The American Rescue Plan rebate program provides about $7 million to replace older, high-polluting diesel school buses with new, zero-emission electric school buses. The funds are reserved exclusively for school districts in underserved communities, tribal schools and private fleets serving those schools. This program will award funding for 23 electric school bus replacements and associated charging infrastructure.

“The historic investments in clean transportation resulting from President Biden’s leadership will have lasting impacts on protecting clean air for children for generations,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said. “This round of school bus grants from the American Rescue Plan is just the beginning. The unprecedented $5 billion investment that’s on the way for clean and zero-emission school buses from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will transform how millions of children get to school and help build a better America for a new generation.”

Since 2012, EPA’s school bus rebates have awarded, or are in the process of awarding, more than $73 million to replace more than 3,000 old diesel school buses. This program will also prioritize projects that help achieve the goals of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to ensure that federal agencies deliver at least 40% of benefits from certain investments to underserved communities.

In the coming weeks, the EPA plans to announce a new Clean School Bus rebate program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides an unprecedented $5 billion over five years to replace high-polluting existing school buses with low- or zero-emission school buses. To learn more about the upcoming Clean School Bus Program, go to http://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus.

To learn more about the rebate programs, applicant eligibility and selection process, visit https://www.epa.gov/dera/rebates and https://www.epa.gov/dera/2021-american-rescue-plan-arp-electric-school-bus-rebates.