2024 Clean School Bus Rebate Applications Now Open

This morning, Sept. 26, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the 2024 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebate Program application period is open. 

This is the third round of funding thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law under the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America agenda.

Under the 2024 CSB program, up to $965 million in rebate funding is anticipated. The EPA notes there is "potential to modify this figure based on the application pool and other factors."

Also, this year, more buses will be funded. The EPA increased the maximum number of school buses per application from 25 to 50. Applicants can request up to $325,000 per bus per application. This is to "allow for more transformative projects."

Eligible applicants can apply to receive funding for the purchase of zero-emission (ZE) and/or propane or compressed natural gas, and the purchase and installation of ZE charging infrastructure for applicants requesting ZE buses. 

Applicants may also use their rebate funds for workforce training, consulting costs for bus deployments, and bus warranty costs.

The EPA will provide additional funding per bus for ADA-compliant buses and for applicants not located in one of the lower 48 contiguous states to cover shipping costs.

2024 Clean School Bus Rebate Program applicants are due by Jan. 9, 2025, at 4 p.m. ET through the Applicant Dashboard.

A series of webinars will also be hosted on a variety of topics related to the rebate.

To date, the EPA has awarded almost $3 billion to fund approximately 8,700 school bus replacements — approximately 95% being zero-emission, battery-electric buses. Nearly 1,300 school districts in almost all 50 states and Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized tribes and U.S. territories, have received funds.

“Over the past three years, we’ve seen tremendous interest from schools across the country to upgrade to clean and zero-emission buses,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thousands of new buses on the road mean our children are breathing cleaner air on their way to and from school, their communities are seeing cleaner air and less climate pollution, and schools are supporting good paying American jobs.”