District reviews proposal for two used electric buses with charger installation; no vote taken

Facilities staff updated the committee on negotiations with Highland Fleet Solutions for two used Thomas electric buses and associated charging infrastructure.

Bob, the district’s facilities/operations representative, said Highland proposed providing two lightly used vehicles (about 20,000 miles each) and installing a charger with two ports; the company would pay for the charger or for any needed transformer upgrade through CMLP. The financial term described in the presentation was about $28,600 per bus per year with a 3% annual escalator; Highland would also cover parts costs and reimburse maintenance at specified rates and include uptime guarantees and penalty clauses for extended downtime.

Bob said the arrangement would spread cost over 10 years and could amount to an effective price notably below the typical new electric-bus purchase (which he estimated at $375,000–$400,000). He emphasized Highland would fund the infrastructure and that the district would not necessarily need to make an upfront charge investment. “If we were to purchase an electric bus outright, it would be 375 to $400,000,” he said, noting that Highland’s proposal bundles vehicles, infrastructure and maintenance support.

Committee members asked about how two buses fit into a broader electrification scheme, the origin and condition of the used vehicles, charging capacity and timeline for transformer upgrades, route range (estimates cited around 100 miles per day on core routes), and the buyout/fair‑market‑value terms at contract end. Bob said the buses would be inspected, legal counsel would review the contract, and Highland would partner to pursue additional grant opportunities to expand to more vehicles if feasible. No vote was requested; staff said they will continue negotiations and return with contract details, inspections and legal review before any commitment.