Montgomery County, Maryland has long been committed to sustainability and protecting the health of its residents and environment. That’s why the recent Washington Post editorial criticizing the county’s electric school bus program misses an important part of the story.

The school district’s effort to transition to electric school buses was not driven by a mandate, as the March 4, 2026 opinion piece suggested. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has had an Environmental Sustainability Management Plan for decades – it began pursuing electric buses as part of its broader commitment to reduce transportation emissions, the largest source of climate pollution, and to cut harmful air exposure that affects the health of children, bus drivers, and neighborhoods across the county.

MCPS made history with its ambitious commitment to zero-emission buses, and  there will be bumps in the road when communities lead the way on new solutions. But Montgomery County’s experience also shows what progress looks like. Today, the district has roughly 285 electric school buses, more than any other school district in the country, meaning thousands of students are riding to school without breathing diesel fumes and soot that trigger asthma, cause headaches, and harm developing lungs.

Especially with fuel costs skyrocketing right now, operating electric buses also make financial sense. On average each electric school bus can save more than $100,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over its lifetime compared to an equivalent diesel bus. Across the country, more than 800 school districts are discovering that electric buses can yield operational savings while improving air quality for students, parents, and bus drivers.

Electric school buses are working nationwide

Montgomery County is not alone in making this transition. School districts from California to Kentucky have been reporting the benefits of electric buses. In Pennsylvania’s Pine-Richland School District, electric buses and other electric vehicles drove nearly 43,000 miles during the 2024-25 school year, saving more than $21,000 in fuel costs. In Fleming County, Kentucky, the district’s diesel bill dropped by $7,000 in the first month after deploying electric buses. In Lynchburg, Virginia, the school district is saving $150,000 annually in fuel savings alone by operating 25 electric school buses.

Other districts report electricity costs that are 70-80 percent lower than diesel fuel. For school districts operating on tight budgets, those savings are significant. But the biggest benefit is health.

Diesel exhaust contains fine particulate pollution linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Students riding diesel buses, and children who live near bus depots, are exposed to this pollution every day. Electric buses eliminate those tailpipe emissions entirely.

What Montgomery County teaches us

Montgomery County’s rollout has faced real challenges, including contract disputes, procurement issues, and implementation delays. Those problems deserve scrutiny. But they should not be mistaken for evidence that electric school buses themselves don’t work.

Transitioning a school bus fleet is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning, from charging infrastructure and fleet management to driver training and maintenance. Districts that have taken the time to plan ahead and coordinate with utilities and state agencies are showing that electric buses can integrate smoothly into school transportation systems.

The path forward

Montgomery County still has an opportunity to build on the progress it has made. Rather than abandoning electrification or returning to diesel buses, district leaders can assess what went wrong in the program’s early stages and apply those lessons moving forward.

Communities across the country support cleaner air, healthier students, and smart investments that save taxpayers money. Electric school buses deliver on all three.