BEVERLY, Mass. – Highland Electric Fleets, the leading provider of school bus fleet electrification-as-a-service in North America, is partnering with Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) to install 25 chargers and deploy 20 Type C electric school buses (ESB) from IC Bus and 5 Type A ESB from Collins Bus during the 2023-2024 school year. As an EPA Clean School Bus Program priority district, City Schools worked with Highland to apply for Round One of the program, and received $9,425,000 to bring cleaner, more equitable transportation to historically marginalized Baltimore communities disproportionately impacted by pollution and climate change.
“We are excited that by electrifying our school bus fleet, we will contribute to cleaner air for students and staff, and for our entire community,” said Lynette Washington, Baltimore City Public Schools, Chief Operating Officer. “We were able to embrace this innovation in student transportation as a result of partnerships like the one we have with Highland. They have been great partner in helping us develop and launch our electric bus program.”
The 25 electric school buses, delivered through K. Neal Truck & Bus Center, will serve an initial group of about 350 students daily, including students with special education needs.
“K. Neal Truck & Bus Center is excited to partner with Highland to serve the students and residents of the City of Baltimore,” said Korey Neal, president of K. Neal Truck & Bus Center. “This partnership marks the start of a greener future in the Mid-Atlantic region. We are grateful to be entrusted with the opportunity to provide best-in-class services and environmentally friendly products for the safety and best interest of our students, neighbors, and larger community.”
By combining private capital with public funding available through programs such as the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, Highland removes the upfront cost of upgrading to electric school bus fleets. Highland will procure the buses and charging equipment, electrify the bus depot, cover electricity, maintenance and labor costs, train bus drivers and mechanics, manage charging, and offer a charge-readiness guarantee for the duration of the 12-year contract – all for less than the district spends to own, operate, and maintain diesel buses.
“Highland has become the go-to partner for making more equitable, cleaner student
transportation a reality for the communities that need it most,” said Duncan McIntyre, CEO and founder of Highland Electric Fleets. “We are thrilled to support City Schools’ sustainability goals and look forward to helping them expedite their electrification transition.”
About Highland Electric Fleets:
Highland Electric Fleets is the leading provider of electrification-as-a-service for school districts, governments, and fleet operators in North America. Founded in 2019, Highland offers a unique suite of products that make it simple and affordable to upgrade to electric fleets today.
Active in 30 states and Canada, Highland is responsible for the first use of electric school buses in a commercial vehicle-to-grid (V2G) program and the largest electric school bus project in the United States to date. To learn more, visit https://highlandfleets.com.
About Baltimore City Public Schools:
Serving approximately 76,000 students, Baltimore City Public Schools is committed to providing a world-class education through the Blueprint for Success which addresses the critical areas of student wholeness, literacy, and staff leadership. The goal of City Schools is to create learning communities where our students will learn, grow and graduate from our high schools college and career ready, and equipped to succeed wherever their life may take them.
