California School Bus Inventory

Buses manufactured before 1990 can pollute as much as six times more than new buses, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There are about 3,000 buses in the state built in the 1980s and earlier, according to a California Watch analysis of data maintained by the California Highway Patrol. About 190,000 students could be transported in these buses each day. Some buses have been equipped with filters that greatly reduce the harmful health effects, but buses that are more than two decades old often can't be retrofitted because the pollutants clog the filters or the engine.

This data is the most recent available from the California Highway Patrol, which inspects every school bus in the state. Many school districts are actively working to remove older buses from their fleets, and the latest changes may not be reflected in the data. School districts that contract with private companies and do not own their own buses are not listed.

Type in your school district's name to see how many buses it owns and how old they are. If you don't see your district listed, it does not own its own buses. About half the buses in the state are owned by private companies. We've included both school districts and companies in the database.

Have questions or a tip? Contact Kendall Taggart at: ktaggart@cironline.org or @KendallTTaggart