This year, students in Dearborn are experiencing quieter and cleaner rides to school. Dearborn Public Schools rolled out one of Michigan’s largest electric vehicle (EV) school bus projects, introducing 18 electric school buses to its fleet. To make the transition possible, DTE installed 10 charging stations and provided the energy expertise through our eFleet Advisory Services team to power the new fleet.
“These buses are saving money and giving our students a safer, healthier ride and you can’t put a price tag on that,” said Mark Andrews, Director of Operations, Dearborn Schools. “We now have cleaner, newer buses, supported by the chargers and infrastructure DTE provided to make everything work seamlessly.”
The district says students and staff noticed the difference immediately. No more diesel fumes means cleaner air for students and drivers. And by charging overnight, the buses use energy when demand is low, improving reliability for the whole community while helping the district save about $1 million over the current fleet’s lifetime.
“Electric buses are a game-changer for districts like ours,” said Andrews. “This was a massive undertaking for our city and thanks to DTE’s guidance and support, we were able to navigate the complexities of applying for these federal grants and rebates easily. Our community sees the difference every day, whether it’s cleaner air, lower fuel costs or the simple joy of riding a quiet, modern bus.”
Dearborn is showing how schools can lead the clean energy transition, improving air quality, reducing costs and building healthier communities. With support from DTE, Dearborn is proving that clean energy can be affordable, reliable and transformational for families across Michigan.