PASS THE ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS LAW NOW!
NYC Council Speaker
For over twenty years a diverse group of kids, citizens, activists, council members, bus drivers and advocacy groups have been asking to eliminate toxic emissions from diesel school buses and replace them with Electric School Buses. But now that the 'Intro 455' legislation phasing out dirty diesel buses has enough votes to pass NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson is refusing to call for a vote on it, claiming budget barriers. Here are the facts:
- Electric School Buses have a lower total cost of ownership over their lifetimes than diesel buses.
- NYC spends 8.3k per student per year to transport kids to school (that's $46/day, enough to pay for a private car to and from school, for each child)
- Our city is currently set to receive billions of dollars in federal aid for schools - some districts are scrambling to find beneficial ways to spend that much money in the limited time frame allowed.
- Leasing models are available that would help NYC's private contractors avoid a large upfront expense.
Join with us to demand that the Speaker schedule Intro 455 for a vote ASAP! Let’s force our electeds to make good on the promise to make ALL school buses electric by 2040 - not just the small percentage of buses the city is planning to operate!
Sponsored by
To:
NYC Council Speaker
From:
[Your Name]
I am asking that you schedule The Electric School Bus bill (Intro 455) for a vote immediately. The bill would call for the replacement of the dirty, old diesel school buses with newer models that meet up-to-date emission standards, or with buses that use electric engines - and it requires that ALL buses be electric by 2040, not just the small percentage of buses the city is planning to operate!
You claim there are budget barriers, but here are the facts:
- Electric School Buses have a lower total cost of ownership over their lifetimes than diesel buses.
- NYC spends 8.3k per student per year to transport kids to school (that's $46/day, enough to pay for a private car to and from school, for each child)
- Our city is currently set to receive billions of dollars in federal aid for schools - some districts are scrambling to find beneficial ways to spend that much money in the limited time frame allowed.
- Leasing models are available that would help NYC's private contractors avoid a large upfront expense.
The time has come to send ALL of New York City’s children to school in safe buses that do not expose us and our neighbors to harmful exhaust that makes it harder to breathe, and harder to learn. Please help protect our friends, our communities, our earth and our futures.