It can be a hot ride home on the school bus for many Alabama students because most buses do not have air conditioning, said State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey.

Mackey said there are health needs that can be addressed by air conditioned buses in city, urban and rural systems.

“What we really are looking at is not so much the heat but problems with asthma, so if you have all the windows down it’s not good for asthmatic children,” Mackey said.

The state legislature fully funded transportation for all schools to have the necessary buses during the 2019 session, Mackey added. While this included funding, it was only enough for basic buses. What it did not include were the buses with items like air conditioning, wheelchair lifts and more seats.