Boston Mayor Michelle Wu unveiled a new plan Wednesday to buy 20 electric school buses for the upcoming school year.
This initial announcement is the first step in Wu's plan to have a full electrification of the city's fleet of vehicles by 2030.
"Climate justice is racial and economic justice and this moment requires an urgent, all hands on deck approach to reduce emissions," said Wu.
The pilot program is expected to begin in the next eight to 10 months as the city will use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to pay for the new buses.
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Wu also announced a new "train the trainer" program which is expected to train students and City fleet managers in electric vehicle maintenance through partnerships with the Public Works Department and Madison Park Technical Vocational High School.
Wu says the city currently has 739 buses, which makes up 11% of the city's municipal emissions. She says the city has been transitioning buses from diesel to liquid propane since 2016, as that reduces emissions and costs.
