(Rockaway Beach, Ore.) – First Student, the leader in school bus electrification, will be delivering a cleaner and quieter ride to school for hundreds of students in the Neah-Kah-Nie School District. The company has secured a $1.7 million award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to purchase five new electric school buses, a first for the district.
“The Neah-Kah-Nie School District is proud to be a part of the transition to electric school buses and look forward to introducing our families to the future of student transportation,” said NeahKah-Nie School District Superintendent Dr. Tyler Reed, “Our top priority is ensuring our students have the safest and best environment for learning. We look forward to working with First Student to create healthier and more sustainable futures for our students.”
The funding for the electric school buses comes from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, which is designed to accelerate the deployment of electric school buses across the U.S. In its third round of funding, the EPA awarded First Student the funding to deploy up to an additional 670 new electric school buses in school districts across the country, bringing zero-emission student transportation to more communities, including Rockaway Beach.
“This award is a big win for the community and the movement toward cleaner transportation solutions,” said First Student Head of Electrification Kevin Matthews. “Delivering an exceptional transportation experience to families is paramount in our mission. By creating no emissions, reducing the noise level of the bus and providing a comfortable ride, students will arrive to school ready to learn and achieve their full potential. We thank the EPA and Neah-Kah-Nie School District for supporting our shared goal of a greener tomorrow.”
Replacing just one diesel school bus with an electric school bus can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54,000 pounds each year. First Student is committed to transitioning 30,000 of its diesel-powered school buses to electric by 2035.
First Student will partner with the Neah-Kah-Nie School District to deploy the five new electric buses over the next 18 to 24 months. The company provides innovative and safe transportation every school day to the district’s students and families.
About First Student
As a leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. With a team of highly trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, fleet electrification, route optimization, and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of more than 44,000 buses.
About Neah-Kah-Nie School District
Neah-Kah-Nie School District is located on the North Oregon Coast in Tillamook County. The district
consists of 129 staff members serving approximately 720 students with a strong relational approach to
student learning and family engagement. Revenue from local property taxes and timber harvests help
fund robust extracurriculars unique to the region.
