Manassas City Public Schools
Manassas, Virginia
Manassas City Public Schools
Highland Electric Fleets collaborates with Manassas City Public Schools to introduce 12 electric buses and chargers over three years, advancing the city’s emission reduction goals. This partnership, blending private capital and public funding, eliminates upfront costs for districts. Celebrated during School Bus Safety Week, the initiative symbolizes a shift towards greener, quieter transportation. Recognized as a milestone in Virginia, it garners praise from local leaders and serves as a beacon for statewide electrification efforts. With anticipated benefits including a reduced carbon footprint and enhanced safety, the project aligns seamlessly with the city’s sustainability plan and the school board’s commitment to eco-friendly transport.
“The purchase of the electric buses supports our efforts towards a greener, more eco-friendly school transportation system. We look forward to monitoring the progress and impact of this initiative as we work with Highland to reduce our carbon footprint.”
Andy Hawkins
Executive Director of Finance & Operations at Manassas
Upcoming Events
Highland and Mothers Out Front are hosting an educational Electric School Bus Teach-in Event in Henrico, VA on October 10th, 2024. Join us to hear first-hand experiences from local VA districts who made the electrification jump, learn about available funding from industry and electrification experts and discover resources to help make the electrification process easier. Register here.
Videos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an electric bus structurally any different than a traditional bus?
No. Electric school buses are structurally identical to their traditional counterparts. They are built on the same chassis as diesel buses by many of the same manufacturers, including Blue Bird, Thomas Built Buses, and IC. Electric school buses meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS).
What are the health benefits of electric school buses?
Electric school buses eliminate student, driver, and community exposure to diesel fumes, which have been linked to childhood asthma, respiratory illnesses, and absenteeism. These effects are often more severe in historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
How far can a fully-charged bus travel?
Depending on the model, a typical electric school bus can travel 100-120+ miles on a full charge. This range makes electric school buses suitable for more than 90% of all school bus routes in the United States. Electric school buses also have a regenerative braking mode that enables them to partially recharge while they’re being driven, which can help extend range.
What is vehicle-to-grid technology?
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology allows an electric school bus to both draw energy from the grid to charge its batteries, and discharge energy from its batteries back to the grid when the community needs it. This bi-directional charging infrastructure transforms an electric school bus into a valuable Distributed Energy Resource (DER) — effectively a large battery that utilities can draw on during periods of peak demand to reduce strain on the electric grid and make communities more resilient. Utilities with V2G programs pay for this extra power, which can help reduce the cost of electrification.