PSTA, Bay Area schools awarded funding to use toward electric buses

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota counties are getting a big chunk of money to help fund electric school buses.

The money is coming from a settlement with Volkswagen violating the Clean Air Act. The settlement was reached in 2015 after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency discovered some Volkswagen entities equipped their diesel vehicles with software designed to cheat federal emissions tests.

Now, Governor Ron DeSantis is distributing just over $68 million to government agencies and just over $54 million to school districts. The money is geared toward purchasing almost 230 electric transit buses for 13 counties across the state.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is getting $18 million, which will fund 60 new electric buses for its fleet.

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Pasco County Public Transportation is getting $600,000, helping to pay for two electric buses.

For schools, Pinellas is receiving $5,542,335 and will be receiving 20 electric buses.  Manatee County Schools is getting just over $5,026,493 and 20 buses as well.  Sarasota County is receiving $2,840c,916, and will be getting 12 electric buses for its fleet.

Back in February, both Manatee and Sarasota Counties said they received grants from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to add electric buses to their fleets.

So, this money from the Volkswagen settlement is adding even more electric buses for the two school districts.