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Proposal for 60 electric school buses at Scullin site; Highland to cover upfront capital, target operation spring 2026
Summary
Highland Electric Fleets proposed a 60‑bus electric deployment at the Scullin School site funded in part by two EPA awards; Highland said it will cover upfront capital and provide electrification-as‑a‑service with contract lengths typically 7–15 years and battery warranties of about 6–7 years.
Highland Electric Fleets presented a proposal to the St. Louis Public Schools Real Estate Committee to deploy 60 electric school buses at the Scullin School site, funded in part with two federal EPA awards and managed under Highland’s electrification‑as‑a‑service model.
A Highland representative and Brian Buccella, Highland’s chief commercial officer, told the committee the district is part of a coalition that received an EPA Joint Clean School Bus Program award of roughly $8.89 million for 30 buses and an EPA Clean Heavy‑Duty Fleets award for a similar amount; combined federal awards are approximately $17 million. Highland said those awards partially fund a total 60‑bus proposal.
Highland’s proposal would redevelop the Scullin School parcel, install about 60 DC fast chargers, and construct a transportation facility with space for maintenance and some conventional buses. The company said it would source grants and incentives and pay upfront capital costs; the district would pay Highland a per‑bus service fee during the contract term. Highland described typical contract terms as seven to 15 years; at the end of the service period the district could purchase vehicles at fair market value but would assume older assets and associated liabilities.
Highland cited warranty terms of roughly six to seven years on batteries and drive trains and said the company’s contracts include vehicle maintenance and replacement obligations during the contract term. The company said an operational schedule aims for buses in service around April 2026 if permits and procurement milestones proceed on the proposed timeline.
Committee members asked about a sound wall and the possibility of a solar canopy; Highland said a sound wall is not in the current design but could be added on at least on the side closest to residential property, and that a solar canopy would likely be a separate, later project.
Highland noted federal funding uncertainty but said it had taken steps to secure the awards and that the district would not incur capital outlays before the project is operational.
Next steps: Highland said it expected to present a contract for district approval (the presentation referenced a possible March board meeting date) and would continue site diligence, permitting and EPA compliance steps.
