Highland Aids Electrification of Michigan Public Schools

Highland Electric Fleets this week announced two electrification contracts for school buses in Michigan.

Highland will provide 21 Type C Blue Bird electric school buses and 11 chargers for the district's transportation operations. An EPA priority district – supported by renewable energy consultant Guaranteed Clean Energy – Jackson is the second-largest grant recipient in Michigan for EPA's Clean Bus School Rebate Program and was awarded $8.2 million to replace 21 of its 60 traditional fossil-fueled buses.

"Jackson Public Schools is excited about this opportunity to advance our fleet of buses. The electric buses and services will help to modernize our fleet and bring a safer, more efficient experience for our drivers, students and families," said Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Beal in a recent news release.

With one of the largest fleets in the county, Jackson Public Schools safely transports more than 5,000 students to its 12 schools over the course of 35 bus routes.

A community dedicated to circulating and maintaining local resources, the district will also utilize local establishments to provide the necessary equipment for the project – Blue Bird bus dealer Holland Bus Companies and Michigan-based automotive supplier BorgWarner for the charging ports.

Highland's turnkey contract includes fleet design, charging infrastructure installation, utility engagement, as well as long-term maintenance and management support over a 15-year contract term. Jackson's electric utility, Consumers Energy, is contemplating a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) pilot using the district's 21-electric-bus fleet.

"With Michigan being home to the automotive industry, Highland couldn't be more pleased to work with Jackson Public Schools to electrify their school bus fleets and depot," said James Rajiah, regional business manager for the Midwest at Highland. "This is an exciting opportunity to bring advanced technology that supports better health to diverse and high-need communities. It also amplifies the possibilities of electrification serving communities in additional ways like vehicle-to-grid."

Dearborn Public Schools

Highland is also deploying to Michigan's third-largest school district, Dearborn Public Schools, up to nine standard capacity Type D electric buses and nine lift-equipped special needs Type D buses.

The buses will be provided by local Michigan Blue Bird bus dealer, Holland Bus Company. Over the course of a multi-year contract, 10 dual-port 60 kW chargers will be installed as part of this initiative to support fleet electrification, bringing cleaner transportation to students.

"The District is excited to take these first steps as part of our efforts to explore how electric buses can best meet the transportation needs of our students," said David Mustonen, director of Communications at Dearborn Public Schools.

Dearborn Schools is also backed by $7.1 million from EPA's Clean School Bus rebate program.

"Dearborn is dedicated to providing an outstanding educational experience for its students. Highland is thrilled to partner with the district and Holland Bus Company to help the transportation program reflect this commitment to excellence," said Michael Callender, director of fleet solutions at Highland. "We're on a mission to make school bus electrification accessible and affordable for schools across the country, and bringing in electric school buses to improve air quality for the community continues the long history of automotive innovation and leadership in the hometown of Henry Ford."

Highland's comprehensive electrification-as-a-service offering delivers all the elements for fleet electrification including design, configuration, construction, utility engagement, fleet management, and maintenance over the course of a 15-year contract.