Gov. Doug Ducey, R-Ariz., has announced funding for 67 new school buses, totaling $7.5 million, at 35 school districts and charter schools across Arizona. This latest round of funding constitutes the third and fourth wave of awards granted as part of a $38 million plan to provide low-income schools with new buses.
In the first wave of funding, $15.9 million was awarded to 55 districts and charter schools for the purchase of 142 diesel and alternative fuel school buses. The second wave of funding awarded 22 school districts with 76 diesel and alternative fuel school buses, totaling $8.4 million. So far, with the third and fourth wave of funding, Arizona has approved 112 applications from school districts and charter schools, resulting in $31.8 million awarded for 285 buses.
Of the latest two rounds, two districts opted for alternative fuel buses: Glendale Union High School District, getting eight buses with a $980,000 award, and Chino Valley Unified School District, getting two buses with a $270,000 award. The type of alternative fueling is not specified.
In June 2018, Ducey released a $38 million plan to purchase an estimated 280 school buses using settlement funds from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust.
“These new buses will have a big impact across the state, especially in rural communities,” says Ducey. “These funds will directly benefit low-income schools while helping ensure the safe transportation of our students to and from school. Arizona will continue to prioritize new investments in our K-12 public schools.”
