School Bus Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

EPA Offering Over $10M in Diesel Emission Reduction Rebates

The agency will award selected applicants $20,000 to $65,000 per bus for scrapping and replacement.

by SBF Staff
October 5, 2020
EPA Offering Over $10M in Diesel Emission Reduction Rebates

The EPA will award selected applicants $20,000 to $65,000 per school bus for scrapping and replacement.

File photo

1 min to read


The Diesel Emission Reduction (DERA) program is now making more rebate funding available for school bus replacement.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that over $10 million is available to public and private fleet owners for the replacement of aging diesel school buses with new school buses that meet the EPA’s cleanest emission standards, according to the EPA website. The agency will award selected applicants $20,000 to $65,000 per bus for scrapping and replacement depending on the fuel type of the replacement bus.

Ad Loading...

School districts with fleets with up to 100 school buses may submit one application listing up to 10 buses for scrappage and replacement, and fleets with more than 100 school buses may submit up to two applications, listing on each up to 10 buses for scrappage and replacement.

The deadline to submit applications is Oct. 30 at 4 p.m. Eastern.

Get more information on the new round of rebates.

More Alternative Fuels

School Bus Fleet graphic showing two yellow electric school buses parked beside a charging station, with the headline “Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Extend Clean School Bus Program Through 2031.”
Alternative Fuels•by Elora Haynes•October 14, 2026

Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Extend Clean School Bus Program Through 2031

The proposed legislation would renew federal support for cleaner school buses as districts navigate funding uncertainty, rising fuel and infrastructure costs, and fleet replacement needs.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet graphic reading “Alt-Fuel Moves: Bidirectional Charging & Propane” alongside an electric school bus and charging station.
Alternative Fuels•by Elora Haynes•October 5, 2026

Alt-Fuel Moves: Electric Bus Rollouts, Bidirectional Charging & Propane Growth

See which fleets are adding electric and propane school buses as districts and operators invest in charging infrastructure, bidirectional technology, and alternative-fuel expansion.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet graphic reading “When Fuel Prices Change the Math: What rising diesel costs mean for fleet planning,” illustrated with a fuel pump and oil barrels.
Alternative Fuels•by Steve Mitchell•October 4, 2026

Nobody Told Diesel Prices They Were Supposed to Come Down

With diesel prices surging, school bus fleets have new reason to stress-test fuel costs, consider diversification, and calculate what each route really costs to operate.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Yellow full-size school bus traveling along a tree-lined road beneath the words “Gas is Back!” in a School Bus Fleet graphic.
Alternative Fuels•Cover Story•by Amanda Huggett•October 2, 2026

Why Gasoline School Buses Are Making a Comeback

Gasoline is gaining ground in full-size school buses. See how today’s options stack up against diesel on cost, maintenance, emissions, performance, and more.

Read More →
EPA DERA funding graphic featuring a yellow school bus beneath a blue sky with the EPA logo and the words “DERA Funding Returns!”
Alternative Fuels•by Amanda Huggett•September 25, 2026

EPA Opens $180M DERA Funding Round for Diesel Upgrades

The 2026 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program seeks applications from eligible organizations to accelerate the retirement of legacy diesel vehicles.

Read More →
A yellow RIDE Type D electric school bus is parked along a tree-lined street outside a school.
Alternative Fuels•by Elora Haynes•September 25, 2026

The Secret Life of an Electric School Bus Battery

Batteries change throughout years of daily routes, but degradation doesn’t necessarily mean the end. Here’s what operators should know about performance, safety, and second life.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Catalyst Mobility: Building Clean Transportation Together
Management•by Alex Roman•September 14, 2026

CALSTART and Forth Combine to Form Catalyst Mobility

The new name represents a renewed vision for the nonprofit focused on advancing clean, equitable, and affordable transportation solutions that move people and goods.

Read More →
An orange and yellow graphic with a black and white image of a propane deployment event with text reading "Charging Hubs & Real World EV Testing."
Alternative Fuels•by Elora Haynes•September 3, 2026

Alt-Fuel Moves: New Buses, Charging Hubs & Real-World EV Testing

Propane and electric school bus deployments continue to grow as districts add new vehicles, expand charging infrastructure, and gather more real-world operating data.

Read More →
Electric school buses parked in a parking lot.
Alternative Fuels•by Elora Haynes•August 24, 2026

Fewer Electric School Bus Models Reshape the U.S. Market

WRI’s latest buyer’s guide points to a consolidating electric school bus market, but fewer options may reflect a maturing industry rather than fewer meaningful choices for school bus operators.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A yellow school bus with its red stop arm extended is stopped to load or unload students as a blurred child crosses in the foreground, illustrating the importance of motorists stopping for school buses and protecting students in the loading zone.
Alternative Fuels•August 12, 2026

The Fuel Budget You Can Actually Predict: How Propane Autogas Keeps Money in the Classroom

Learn how propane autogas helps school districts manage fuel costs with predictable pricing, lower maintenance, and reduced emissions from former transportation director Joel Stutheit.

Read More →