School buses allow children to safely get to school without parental supervision and reduce the number of vehicle trips attracted to schools. School bus service can be expanded to non-traditional forms such as through partnership with the transit agency.
Increased school buses change how students travel to school and reduce VMT by reducing the vehicle trips associated with schools.
For more details, see CAPCOA, T-40. Establish a School Bus Program, pg. 215-219 for VMT reduction quantification.
Ensure programs prioritize low-income neighborhoods and students with limited transportation options. Use multilingual materials and partner with Title I schools and community-based organizations to address barriers to walking and biking.
School bus programs can be supported through school district transportation budgets as well as state and federal clean school bus and fleet-replacement programs. California’s Zero-Emission School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) program supports eligible local educational agencies in replacing internal-combustion school buses and installing associated charging infrastructure. The California Energy Commission also provides funding opportunities for electric school bus charging infrastructure through the Clean Transportation Program. Federal opportunities include the EPA Clean School Bus Program, which is being updated for a new funding opportunity in 2026. Other potential sources include CARB’s Lower-Emission School Bus Program, Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding, and local air-district incentive programs.
Modesto City Schools operates a dedicated student transportation program and is implementing a new transportation registration and routing process for the 2026–2027 school year. The district is using registration information to better align routes with student eligibility, school boundaries, program needs, and available capacity. The district also uses StopFinder for parent-facing bus tracking and transportation information. This provides a local example of using improved transportation management and routing to maintain and potentially improve school bus utilization.
Stanislaus County SELPA Transportation Program
The Stanislaus County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) provides transportation for eligible special-education students throughout the county through a coordinated transportation program. The SELPA determines transportation requirements and policies and contracts with Storer Transportation to provide service. The program illustrates how coordinated transportation can provide shared school trips for students who might otherwise require individual vehicle transportation.
