Earth Day 2025: Cleaner Fleets, Healthier Communities
Across the country, schools and cities are adding electric vehicles to their fleets. For many, the decision starts with practical considerations like vehicle performance, cost stability, and operational reliability. But one of the most immediate and visible benefits is also one of the most important: improving the health and well-being of the communities these fleets serve.
Electric transportation is changing the experience for students, drivers, and neighborhoods. It is reducing emissions, creating quieter streets, and delivering cleaner air around schools. These benefits are becoming a central part of why more districts are moving toward electrification, with public agencies working closely with private partners like Highland Electric Fleets to bring these projects to life.
Health Benefits That Matter
Diesel exhaust is a major source of air pollution near schools, and children are especially vulnerable to its harmful effects. Replacing diesel buses with electric ones helps reduce exposure to pollutants linked to asthma and other respiratory issues, giving kids a safer, healthier ride to school.
Parents are noticing these improvements as well. In a recent Highland-led survey, 89 percent of parents said electric buses improve their child’s air quality, and 65 percent said they would prefer electric buses over diesel-powered models. The ride itself is different too. Quieter buses create a calmer environment for students and provide a better experience for all riders, especially those with sensory sensitivities or special needs.
While health may not be the only reason districts are transitioning their fleets, it is an increasingly visible outcome of these efforts, and one that resonates with families and strengthens communities.
Progress Built on Partnership
Electrifying a fleet is a complex process that requires alignment across school transportation teams, city officials, utilities, and operational teams. It takes coordination, trust, and a shared commitment to delivering reliable service while improving the experience for students and residents.
At Highland, we are proud to partner with districts and municipalities across the country that are leading this transition. We support every stage of the journey, from day-to-day operations to helping ensure the long-term benefits of electrification reach the communities that count on them.
Looking Ahead
The opportunity to deliver healthier transportation does not stop with school buses. Municipal fleets–including refuse trucks, public works vehicles, and maintenance crews–spend hours idling in neighborhoods where air quality and noise matter most. Electrifying these vehicles represents another important step in making everyday transportation cleaner and quieter.
Electric fleets also have the potential to support cleaner, more resilient energy systems. Technologies like vehicle-to-grid (V2G) allow electric vehicles to return stored energy to the grid during periods of high demand. By reducing strain on the power supply and helping offset emissions from peaker plants, V2G contributes to better air quality and a more efficient use of energy resources. In emergencies, these vehicles can also provide backup power for schools, shelters, or critical facilities, reinforcing transportation’s role in public service.
This Earth Day, we’re reminded that the benefits of electric transportation are already taking hold and will continue to grow as more communities lead the way. Learn more about the benefits of electrification here.
