This was written by Carmen Cortez, EcoMadres volunteer: “I was selected for an electric bus pilot program serving Rock Creek Forest Elementary in Montgomery County and wrote this op-ed for LaOpinion”
I am a Salvadoran mother from Maryland, who has worked as a bus driver since 2003 and since 2010 in Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. My training and work has been with the typical yellow vehicle, which is distinguished not only by its color, but also by the noise and continuous emissions it generates.
But in 2021 that changed. I was selected for an electric bus pilot program serving Rock Creek Forest Elementary School in Montgomery County. I resisted at first, because I did not know what this change implied in my work. But the day I drove the vehicle I could feel how quiet it was, and the most important thing is that I was able to breathe cleaner air. This change was not only felt by me, but also by the students who got on my bus and the neighbors who live on the routes where I traveled. From that moment, I realized that we were facing a transition in the transportation sector, that I could be part of this process, and help improve the health of the students in my district, my own health, that of my community and the planet.
Since 2022, I have been promoted at work to train electric bus drivers, and I am proud to say that the program has grown: from just one bus when the pilot program started, we now have 85. I am very hopeful that all schools in all states can have access to electric school buses, especially since there are many Latino children and drivers who frequently board this type of bus.
According to the EPA, the transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. These emissions are further aggravating climate change. And while trucks and buses are an essential part of our economy, they also contribute to noise and harmful air pollution. If we enforce strict limits on tailpipe pollution and make a quick switch to zero emission vehicles, the damage to our climate and especially our health would be reduced.
Millions of vulnerable Americans and communities live, play, and go to school near highways and trucking routes where they are exposed to high levels of toxic fumes from the constant flow of traffic. My community and low-income communities are the ones who face the impact of daily pollution. The urgent transition to a zero-emissions fleet of school vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles is an important opportunity to reduce negative health outcomes and disparities in communities adjacent to major truck traffic areas.
I am convinced that we can achieve this change. That’s why I’ve joined as a volunteer with EcoMadres, the Moms Clean Air Force’s Latino outreach program, and use my experience to reach out to local, state and national elected officials. I also want to educate the community about this important transition.
We have the technology to have a cleaner transportation system, including heavy vehicles like trucks and buses. But it’s also time for the Environmental Protection Agency to set the strictest vehicle emissions standards possible, following legislation with the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, to protect our air and make a positive impact on our health. Our children deserve it, our communities and planet too. We demand action now!
Learn more about Moms’ work on electric school buses.
TELL CONGRESS: SUPPORT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND ACCESS TO CLIMATE EDUCATION