How battery-electric buses can benefit the environment, the economy, and public transit

Through economic modeling and dozens of interviews with leaders from public transit agencies, environmental organizations, and community-based organizations, the report offers a suite of policy recommendations intended to enable agencies to center community health, climate solutions, and good job creation in their adoption of battery-electric bus technology and infrastructure. Notably, the report finds that full-scale electrification of public bus fleets in the U.S. could create at least 20,000 good American manufacturing jobs.

The policy recommendations include suggestions for:

Building out bold electrification programs that center community voices and benefits

Prioritizing environmental justice

Creating good jobs that lift up workers

Committing to real transparency and accountability

“Bus mechanics and operators across America recognize the environmental benefits of expanding our transit systems’ electric bus fleets. Protecting and expanding job opportunities during this transition is essential to ensure that electric bus services reach their full potential. That is why we support proposals that ensure transit workers and their unions become partners with the agencies in identifying the new skills and training programs necessary to safely operate and maintain the new equipment,” says John Costa, President of the Amalgamated Transit Union International.