Dearborn Public Schools
Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn Public Schools
Dearborn Public Schools, Michigan’s third-largest district with over 20,000 students across 37 schools in 36 buildings, is transitioning to electric school buses. This electrification project will involve deploying 18 electric buses, including nine specifically equipped for special needs students, supported by the installation of 20 chargers. Highland’s Electrification-as-a-Service will handle all aspects of the transition over a 15-year period, encompassing design, construction, fleet management, and maintenance.
“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,”
David Mustonen
Director of Communications at Dearborn Public Schools
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming electric school bus events at Dearborn Public Schools. Please check back later for updates.
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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.