Next Stop, Access! An Exploratory Paper on Disability Rights and Justice Throughout the Transition to Electric School Buses

This Working Paper is part of the Electric School Bus Initiative within WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities and Equity & Governance. Reach out to Alyssa Curran for more information.

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Next Stop, Access! Before You Read is a companion to the working paper on this page, providing readers with further background on the disability and environmental justice research lens used throughout the working paper and definitions for key concepts referenced in the research. We recommend reviewing this document before proceeding to the working paper.

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Next Stop, Access! An Exploratory Paper on Disability Rights and Justice Throughout the Transition to Electric School Buses aims to recognize past and present transportation inequities and to propose solutions that guide us toward a more equitable future. It asserts that the transition to electric school buses must be guided by principles of equity and accessibility. Critical research areas addressed in this paper include the following:

• Specific challenges and benefits related to electrifying school bus fleets for people with disabilities
• Availability and accessibility of design features in school buses
• Health implications of electrifying school bus fleets
• Multiple uses of school buses beyond standard school activities
• Geographic factors

This paper is an exploratory study that employs an intersectional analysis to understand how the shift to electric school bus fleets impacts students with disabilities in various under-resourced communities and geographic areas, particularly rural communities, tribal communities, and communities of color. It emphasizes that in order to achieve an equitable transition, students and adults with disabilities must be prioritized to fully experience the benefits of clean transportation. As this group is significantly affected by issues such as school bus segregation, poverty and heightened air pollution, this paper aims to articulate their specific needs and recommendations for an equitable, accessible and fair transition to ESB fleets.

This research is part of the Electric School Bus Initiative's efforts to establish a basis of research on the importance of equity in the transition to electric school buses in the US. It builds upon the Equity Framework to Guide the Electric School Bus Initiative and the Electric School Bus Initiative Advocacy Stakeholder Analysis: A Baseline Report.

Following the outcomes of the Advocacy Stakeholder Analysis, the ESB Initiative recognized the need for further research into a disability rights and justice lens on an equitable transition to electric school buses, leading to the development of this working paper.

Continue learning about disability rights and disability justice in the electric school bus transition:

• For Students with Disabilities, Electric School Buses Could Transform the School Commute
• An Accessible Clean Ride for All Kids