GALESBURG, Ill. (KWQC) – The Galesburg Community School District is introducing a fleet of new electric school buses.

The Galesburg district has a total of 23 new electric school buses, according to district leaders. They said they are making the switch to electric school buses to provide healthier transportation for their students.

A Galesburg student said she was impressed with her first ride on the new bus.

“I thought it was really nice, really clean, it smelled really good,” said fifth-grader Scarlett Rodriguez. “The floors, they looked new.”

A $9 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program covered the cost of the new buses and charging infrastructure, according to district leaders.

District leaders said they plan to use the new buses for in-town routes and the other 22 diesel buses for out-of-town trips.

So far, the new buses have been transporting more than 1,000 students for about two weeks.

Meanwhile, the East Moline School District is testing an electric school bus.

The East Moline School District said they bought the bus and it’s cheaper with a $400,000 grant.

If more money becomes available, the East Moline School District could get more electric buses, district leaders said.

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