Mayor Adams Secures $77M For School Bus Electrification & Electric Truck Depot

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced that the city has been awarded a total of $77 million in competitive grants from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The law is geared to expand the number of electric school buses and trucks on city streets.

A $61.1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Grant Program will add 180 new electric school buses to the city’s fleet and quadruple the number of electric school buses in New York City. Additionally, a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program will help build a groundbreaking, freight-focused electric truck and vehicle charging depot at the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center, the busiest heavy trucking destination in New York state. Lastly, the city was awarded $1.5 million from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation’s Ride and Drive Electric Program to support planning and coordination efforts to electrify New York City’s electric school bus fleet.

These investments will advance several efforts announced by Mayor Adams in his State of the City address earlier this year, such as the release of his administration’s plan to grow the city’s green economy and build electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the Hunts Point Produce Market as the administration creates a “Harbor of the Future” along New York City’s iconic waterways. These grants also build on the Adams administration’s successful track record of securing over $1.6 billion in federal funding to create high-quality, sustainable, and equitable infrastructure in New York City, including more than $120 million awarded to New York City last week to expand green space and improve infrastructure in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens.

“I have always said that I am a five-borough mayor, and with this funding, we are building an even brighter future for the Bronx and our entire city,” said Mayor Adams. “These grants will help us put more electric school buses on our streets, turn one of the world’s largest food distribution centers into one of the world’s greenest facilities, deliver cleaner air for our children, and help undo a long history of environmental racism in the South Bronx. This is what it looks like when leaders from City Hall to the halls of Congress work together to ‘Get Stuff Done’ for New York City. My thanks to President Biden, the Environmental Protection Agency, and all our federal partners who helped secure this funding and are working to deliver a cleaner, greener city for New Yorkers.”

“Thanks to President Biden, USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and our entire congressional delegation, our city is once again taking major steps to deliver clean air for future generations through the electrification of our school bus fleet and the continued expansion of our electric charging infrastructure,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “We can and must do better for our kids. With these investments, we are quadrupling the number of electric school buses in our citywide fleet and supercharging our electric freight operations, both important steps to stem the tide of the climate crisis.”

“Sustainability touches every part of our school system, from the lessons being taught in our classes, to the waste reduction programs in our cafeterias, to solar energy supporting our schools, and now, to electric buses bringing our kids to and from school each day,” said New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks. “It is essential that we make every effort to do right by our kids, and these generous awards from the federal government will help our city and nation transition to a more sustainable future for our young people to inherit.”

“We applaud the Biden administration for its vision to provide cleaner air and protect against climate change. This federal funding will help create a first-of-its-kind electric freight truck charging depot located in the South Bronx that will support the transition to electric vehicles for the nearly 15,000 trucks that pass through the Hunts Point neighborhood each day,” said New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “At the same time, these new electric school buses will improve the health of our young people. We thank our federal, state, and city partners for advocating for these critical investments and look forward to securing even more federal funding going forward to advance our comprehensive vision to decarbonize the transportation sector.”

“This significant federal funding is going to result in a breath of fresh air for countless New Yorkers, while positioning New York City as a pioneer in reaching carbon neutrality,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “We are grateful to Senator Schumer and the entire New York City congressional delegation who advocated for this crucial piece of funding, and we look forward to continuing Mayor Adams’ vision for reimagining the Hunts Point peninsula as a more equitable, healthier, and more prosperous community.”

“The pollution created by diesel-powered trucks and school buses not only creates unhealthy air that often impacts disadvantaged communities the most; it is also a significant contributor to climate change and the extreme weather that threatens public safety,” said New York City Chief Climate Officer and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “This is why PlaNYC, our sustainability action plan, called for seeking federal funds for the electrification of our school bus fleets and for the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to encourage freight operators to transition to electric fleets — both steps towards environmental justice and a healthier, safer New York.”

“Diesel-fueled buses and trucks harm our climate and health, and the pollutants they emit are linked to respiratory illnesses with disproportionately higher rates in Black and Brown communities, which is why we set the ambitious goal of cutting transportation emissions in half by 2030,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson. “Getting noisy and polluting trucks off New York City’s streets and electrifying school buses advances our PlaNYC initiatives, while offering health benefits to students and residents of East New York, Canarsie, Sheepshead Bay, and more. This funding will also bring extraordinary benefits to the residents of Hunts Point, 12 percent of whom have asthma — one of the highest rates in the country.”

In partnership with DOE and MOCEJ, the $61.1 million award to electrify New York City’s school bus fleet will benefit two companies — NYC School Bus Umbrella Services and JP Bus and Truck Repair — and help the city reach its goal of an entirely zero-emission school bus fleet by 2035 through its “PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done.” NYC School Bus Umbrella Services — the city’s nonprofit school bus company — won $29.5 million for 100 electric school buses and 100 chargers to be used citywide. JP Bus and Truck Repair won $31.5 million for 80 electric school buses to serve districts 18, 19, 20, and 21 in Brooklyn — including Coney Island, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatlands, Midwood, New Lots, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, and Windsor Terrace.

This is the second round of Clean School Bus Program grants awarded to the city following an $18.3 million grant for 51 electric school buses last year.

Additionally, Mayor Adams today announced that DOT and NYCEDC won a $15 million grant from USDOT to build a first-in-the-nation freight-focused electric truck and vehicle charging depot at the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center in the Bronx. The “Recharge Hub” will offer electric trucks and passenger vehicles access to both fast chargers and regular chargers, providing a convenient way for electric trucks passing through Hunts Point or the Bruckner Expressway to recharge. The grant will also support the development of an onsite, multipurpose building to host workforce development programming, community events, and a rest area for drivers.

By expanding access to electric chargers, the hub will reduce the need for fleet owners to make expensive charging upgrades at their own locations, remove a significant barrier to electrification, and encourage greater adoption of electric vehicles by trucking companies. Once fully constructed, the hub will be able to charge over 3,000 trucks and 4,000 passenger vehicles annually, eliminating an estimated 5.1 million tons of CO₂. This funding will help replace diesel trucks with electric vehicles, reducing air pollution and addressing longstanding public health inequities in Hunts Points specifically and the South Bronx more broadly, which is home to disproportionately high rates of air pollution and asthma.

The Adams administration previously secured $110 million from USDOT’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program to invest in resiliency and freight upgrades to the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market.

Finally, Mayor Adams today announced that MOCEJ has won a $1.5 million planning grant from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation’s Ride and Drive Electric Program to help the city develop a resilient electric school bus charging infrastructure plan.

Recent federal legislation — including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act — has unlocked unprecedented amounts of federal funding for key resiliency projects across the country. To maximize funding for New York City, Mayor Adams formed the Federal Infrastructure Funding Task Force and appointed Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi as chair. The task force has helped align priorities for high-quality, sustainable, equitable infrastructure projects across the city and created aggressive and creative grant applications from a wide range of infrastructure agencies. To date, New York City has secured more than $1.6 billion in federal infrastructure funding, including over $650 million in competitive federal grants.

“Protecting our kids and tackling the climate crisis is a win-win. Transitioning away from dirty diesel and toward clean electric buses is a smart investment in our children’s future,” said Lisa F. Garcia, regional administrator, EPA Region 2. “Cleaner air and less pollution are a net positive for the community, and thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this is just the beginning. Beyond the community, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacement projects will help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector on climate change.”

“New York State is leading the way in providing healthier transportation for students in our communities,” said Doreen M. Harris, CEO and President, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. “The EPA funding for electric school buses is an example of how we are working together with the Biden administration to deliver benefits from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will complement investments we are making through the state’s historic Environmental Bond Act to put more clean school buses on our roads and help school districts transition to greener fleets.”

“This $77 million federal investment for 180 clean, electric school busses, more than 180 bus chargers, and new EV charging infrastructure in Hunts Point will give our kids safer rides to school and reduce the dirty diesel particulate pollution from trucks and buses that contributes to so much asthma in our neighborhoods. It will supercharge New York City and Mayor Adams’ drive to electrifying bus transit, support the adoption of cleaner, electric vehicles, and create an emissions-free future,” said U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. “I led the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Law to passage so communities in New York can have the federal funding needed to combat climate change, and now these major investments will set the wheels in motion to put new electric school buses on New York City’s roads and help the city build out their network of EV chargers, curbing carbon emissions, decreasing pollution, and improving air quality for students. I am proud to deliver this tremendous environmental justice investment that will carry our students and communities to a brighter, emissions-free future.”

“I am proud to help deliver this $77 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to allow New York City to put better, cleaner school buses and trucks on our roads,” said U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler. “The 180 new electric school buses and investment in a freight-focused electric truck and vehicle charging depot will mean less pollution, reduced costs, and more jobs in manufacturing and maintenance for our city. By investing $40 billion in infrastructure funding for New York State and New York City, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is bringing our infrastructure into the 21^st century. I’m once again proud to have fought to secure this funding, and I’ll continue to work tirelessly in Congress to make sure that New York City receives the federal infrastructure investments it deserves for years to come.”

“This critical money will go a long way toward ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment for communities throughout our city, including for our children who are the future of New York,” said U.S. Representative Grace Meng. “As New York’s representative on the Regional Leadership Council — which works to promote and implement legislation signed by President Biden — I’m excited that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I helped pass in Congress continues to improve and enhance New York City.”

“I was proud to support the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made today’s announcement possible,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat. “Together, we are revitalizing New York City’s infrastructure and combatting the climate crisis. I commend Mayor Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan and Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia, and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for their collective efforts to secure this remarkable $77 million investment for New York City. This federal funding will quadruple our city’s electric school bus fleet and create the nation’s first electric truck charging depot in the Bronx that will serve over 7,000 freight-focused trucks and vehicles annually. Today’s announcement is a testament to the progress we have made under the Biden administration and our ongoing commitment to safeguarding the environment and enhancing the well-being of our communities.”

“Transitioning New York City school buses to electric and low-emission vehicles is healthier for our kids, our city, and the planet,” said U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “Particularly in the Bronx, which has some of the highest childhood asthma rates in the country, this funding will improve air quality not only for students but also for communities across the borough. We applaud the Biden administration’s commitment to environmental justice and public health with this significant award for our city.”

“The addition of 180 new electric school buses to our city’s fleet will not only increase transportation options to and from school but will help the city’s efforts to improve air pollution by removing harmful diesel fumes from our streets,” said U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis. “I’m proud to have voted to secure the funding that makes these improvements possible, and I look forward to ensuring New York City continues to receive its fair share of federal infrastructure dollars in the future.”

“A sustainable future is key to New York City’s very survival: sea levels may rise as much as 5.4 feet by the end of the century, threatening the 20 percent of our city lying in a floodplain,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “The first-in-the-nation electric vehicle charging depot at Hunts Point will tackle one of the worst offenders of emissions: heavy duty vehicles like trucks and school buses. They comprise 10 percent of all vehicles on the road but are responsible for 25 percent of CO2 emissions and 60 percent of particulate matter. The new depot will take thousands of dirty heavy-duty vehicles off our streets, accelerating our transition to zero-emission vehicles in both New York’s busiest trucking hub and the nation’s largest school system. This will deliver cleaner air, curbing climate change, and saving our children from developing asthma. It is a huge step forward in delivering on our goal of zero net carbon emissions by 2050.”

“With the expansion of our electric school buses and electric vehicle charging, we are making an investment in not just our electric vehicle infrastructure but in decreasing harmful environmental pollutants that for years have contributed to poor health outcomes for our most vulnerable residents in the Bronx,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “As the city is working to grow our green economy with assistance from our federal partners, we will continue to work with our colleagues in government to ensure the Bronx is not left behind and that our communities also reap the benefits of this initiative after experiencing years of environmental inequities. Thank you to Mayor Adams and the federal government for their commitment to investing in our electric vehicle infrastructure and to ensuring each borough benefits.”

“It is an honor for NYCSBUS to host this event and have everyone here to celebrate the electrifying of our city’s school bus fleet with EPA funding,” said Matt Berlin, CEO, NYCSBUS. “This transition is one step closer to a healthier New York City.”

“Today, we’re celebrating the ability to provide safe, reliable, and affordable transportation to school districts across the city,” said Robert Reichenbach, president, Bird Bus Sales. “We are excited to continue to work in partnership with the EPA to reduce air quality-related illnesses and preserve the health of our city.”

“Transportation is one of the leading causes of climate and air pollution. With federal funds to triple the number of electric school buses and add electric truck charging infrastructure at one of the nation’s busiest transportation hubs, today’s announcement marks a major step forward in the city’s effort to reduce emissions from truck traffic and protect our school children from harmful pollution that has fueled the asthma epidemic, especially in communities of color,” said Julie Tighe, president, New York League of Conservation Voters. “We congratulate NYCSBUS and JP Bus and Truck Repair as well as the DOT and NYCEDC on these grants, and we salute Mayor Adams for continued leadership on vehicle electrification.”