Purpose

A CSB Rebate is a payment from the EPA to an eligible entity to subsidize the purchase of a zero-emission (ZE) or clean school bus, eligible infrastructure, and other costs, including workforce training. Rebates allow selectees to receive awarded funds prior to paying their vendor(s) for the bus(es) and associated infrastructure listed in their application. EPA’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer will contact selected applicants to inform them how to meet financial reporting requirements and the frequency in which they will need to report.

 

Eligible Entities

The following entities are eligible to apply for the rebate:

• Public School Districts
  • Local or State government entity responsible for
    • Providing school bus service to one or more public school systems, or
    • Purchase, lease, license, or contract for service of school buses
  • Public Charter School District responsible for purchase, lease, license, or contract for service of school buses
  • Regional Education Service Agency or Joint Transportation Agency, with an NCES ID specific to either the RESA or JTA.
• Tribal Applicants
  • Indian Tribes, Tribal Organizations, or Tribally Controlled Schools responsible for
    • Providing school bus service for a Bureau of Indian Education funded school, or
    • Purchase, lease, license, or contract for service of school buses.
• Third Parties
  • For-profit, not-for-profit, or nonprofit contractors that have the capacity to
    • Sell, lease, license, or contract for service clean or ZE school buses or related charging or fueling infrastructure to school bus owners, or
    • Arrange financing for such a sale, lease, license, or contract for service.
  • Nonprofit School Transportation Associations or
  • School bus dealers, original equipment manufacturers, school bus service providers, and private school bus fleets that meet these criteria are eligible contractors.

See “Section 2: Eligible Applicants” of the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates Program Guide (EPA-420-B-24-044, September 2024) for additional eligibility details.

 

Eligible Activities

To be eligible for a rebate, school district activities must be aligned with the following requirements:

Existing Buses (before replacement)

• possess a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,001 lbs. or more, and
• provided service to a public school district at least 3 days/week on average during the 2023-2024 school year.
• consist of 2010 or older, diesel-powered that will be scrapped if selected for funding, OR
• If no 2010 or older diesel-powered buses, consist of
  • 2010 or older, non-diesel internal combustion engine bus fleets that will be scrapped, or
  • 2011 or newer diesel or non-diesel internal combustion engine buses that will be scrapped, sold, or donated.

Replacement Buses

• possess a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 10,001 lbs. or more,
• are model 2023 or newer (buses converted after the first retail sale are not eligible for funding),
• have a battery-electric, CNG, or propane drivetrain (biofuels are not included as an eligible replacement technology),
• must be purchased after receiving notification of selection for funding,and
• meet other requirements specified in the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates Program Guide.

 

Rebates

The EPA plans to award up to $965 million through this rebate competition, with the potential to modify this figure based on the application pool and other factors.

 

Important Dates

October 2024 – December 2024:  Various Webinars on CSB Program.

November 14, 2024, 4:00 PM ET:  Final date to submit questions to cleanschoolbus@epa.gov.

January 9, 2025, 4:00 PM ET:  Application Deadline.

January 10 – May 2025:  Selection process. Applicants answer eligibility questions or provide other information upon EPA request.

May 2025:  Applicant Notification of Selection Status. Selectees can purchase replacement buses and eligible charging infrastructure.

June 1, 2025 – November 2025:  Selectees submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders.

May 2027:  Project period deadline for selectees to receive new buses, install eligible charging infrastructure, scrap, sell, or donate existing buses, and submit Close Out Forms.

 

Next Steps

For more information, read the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates Program Guide or find more supporting documents at Clean School Bus Program Rebates | US EPA,