Earlier this month, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced a grant program that will provide funds to school districts that are interested in deploying compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses.
Right now, the CNG School Bus Conversion Program is pegged at $1.2 million, but the FDACS could adjust that amount upward or downward, depending on demand and other factors. Buses purchased or converted through the program must be in service for the 2013-2014 school year.
The funds can be used to convert an existing bus to run on CNG, or the award can help cover the incremental cost of purchasing a new CNG bus versus a comparable diesel unit. The grants will range from $25,000 to $40,000 per vehicle, and school district fleets can be awarded no more than $500,000 in total. A minimum 25% cost-share, to be spent concurrently with the grant funds, is also required.
Applications must be submitted by Mon., July 1 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
For more details about the program and to see all of the requirements, click HERE.
