EGLE celebrates deployment of 18 electric school buses in Dearborn

Phil Roos, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), joined officials from Dearborn Public Schools and others recently to celebrate the addition of 18 electric school buses and 20 chargers.

“This is not just an upgrade to a school fleet – it’s a bold investment in reliability, cost savings, and the health of our students and drivers,” said Roos at the announcement held at the school district’s transportation office.

Here’s what the new buses mean to Michigan’s third-largest school district:

• The buses don’t emit tailpipe pollution, which means kids are no longer breathing in diesel fumes on their way to and from school.
• The district is saving money on gas, freeing up resources that can go back into classrooms.
• Electric buses are quiet! Districts have noted that without the noise and vibration of a diesel engine, kids are showing up to school less distracted and more focused on learning.
• And they’re a big step toward reducing climate pollution, which is a key goal of Governor Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan.

Until recently, electric school buses were out of reach for most districts. That’s why support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program and Michigan’s Clean Bus Energy Grant has been transformational.

“In less than three years, we’ve helped districts across Michigan deploy nearly 400 electric school buses – including these right here in Dearborn,” Roos added. “We’re moving from diesel-dominated fleets to cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable transportation – and we’re doing it faster than ever.”

The buses are the result of partnerships across federal, state, and local levels:

• Dearborn Public Schools had the vision to pursue a cleaner, healthier future for students and staff.
• Blue Bird and Holland Bus Company delivered the technology and vehicles to bring that vision to life.
• Highland Electric Fleets is providing long-term support—handling the operational needs necessary to keep these buses running smoothly and reliably for years to come.
• And support from the EPA and the Michigan Department of Education made this transformation possible.

“Electrifying school buses is more than a clean energy milestone,” Roos concluded. “It’s about protecting kids’ health, investing in communities, and building a future where every child in Michigan can ride to school in a vehicle that’s good for them and good for the planet.”