U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich visited with school children from Los Ranchos Elementary School on Tuesday as they explored a new electric school bus.
The Albuquerque Public Schools is using money available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the bipartisan infrastructure law, to purchase 20 new electric buses. These buses are in addition to six buses the district is already acquiring through using money from the Volkswagen settlement—a civil case the federal government brought against the automobile manufacturer for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.
Moms Clean Air Force joined Heinrich and district officials in celebrating the acquisition, which the advocacy group says will lead to cleaner air and better health outcomes for children. The buses will also reduce the noise pollution associated with transporting children to and from school.
“This transition to electric school buses is a momentous step in our collective journey toward a cleaner, healthier environment for our kids and neighborhoods,” Moms Clean Air Force N.M. Coordinator Giovanna Rossi said. “Diesel exhaust contains a mix of pollutants that are known to cause respiratory issues, exacerbate asthma and contribute to other serious health problems.”
She said replacing diesel buses with electric vehicles reduces children’s exposure to harmful pollutants “ensuring they can breathe easier and live healthier lives.”
Rossi highlighted that minority populations tend to face greater impacts from air pollution.
The transition to electric buses will also reduce the carbon emissions associated with transporting students.
Heinrich has long been a fan of electric vehicles and he told the students about a challenge he took part in while in college. During that challenge, Heinrich and a team of his classmates built a solar-powered vehicle and raced it across the country.
“If you really want some entertainment, Google Martin Heinrich solar car,” he told the kids. “You’ll see me with much longer hair than I have now.”
He said that experience taught him that there were cleaner, better ways to do things.
Later, Heinrich said he is surprised about how long it has taken for electric vehicles to catch on. In addition to having fewer parts and a potentially longer lifespan, Heinrich said they are fun to drive.
“As someone who grew up driving a Camaro when I was 16, I realized that you could come off the line even faster (in an electric vehicle),” he said.
He said even the school buses accelerate faster than their diesel counterparts.
APS Superintendent Gabriella Duran-Blakey said the district received $6.9 million in federal funds to purchase the vehicles. She said the New Mexico Public Education Department also provided $1 million in grant funding for the effort.
“These buses represent our commitment to become a more sustainable district, looking to be as environmentally friendly as possible,” she said.
More than 30,000 students ride the APS buses every day.
“We are excited to take this step, which will benefit the health of our students and staff, our community and the environment,” she said.
