New Survey from Highland Electric Fleets Shows Majority of U.S. Parents Would Support Electric School Buses at Their Child's School

As Electric School Buses Roll Out Across the U.S., New Data Shows Broad Support for a Healthier Ride to School 

BEVERLY, Mass., Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey conducted by Highland Electric Fleets, the leading provider of fleet electrification-as-a-service, found that 65% of U.S. parents would prefer their child ride on an electric school bus than a diesel-powered one. The survey captured data from U.S. parents of children aged 5 to 17 who ride a school bus. Currently, of the more than 500,000 school buses in the U.S., only 2.5% are "committed" electric school buses -- including all those funded, ordered or delivered, as well as those currently on the road.

Data showed support for electric school buses is largely tied to parents' concerns about their children's health. In fact, 89% of parents ranked air quality and a safe and healthy commute to school among their highest concerns and a strong majority of parents correctly believe electric school buses are less likely to produce harmful emissions than diesel buses.

"As this survey underscores, parents increasingly recognize that electric school buses are not just a transportation upgrade—they're a commitment to their children's health and well-being," said Sue Gander, Director of the World Resources Institute's Electric School Bus Initiative. "By reducing harmful emissions and improving air quality, these buses represent a critical step toward safer, healthier school commutes and a cleaner environment for future generations."

The survey also revealed a lack of understanding among parents about the cost and manufacturing of electric school buses. Parents who said they prefer fossil fuel-powered school buses over electric (35% of survey respondents) ranked "cost concerns" as the leading factor. A sizable 34% of this group indicated they would change their mind if it were demonstrated that electric school buses would save the school district and taxpayers money. 

"It is extremely encouraging to see strong support for electric school buses among parents nationwide. More families are seeing the correlation between electric engines and a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for kids at school," said Duncan McIntyre, Founder and CEO of Highland Electric Fleets. "Highland is proud to partner with school districts across the U.S. to help transition fleets from diesel to electric within budget. Our team works alongside district leaders from start to finish on diverse electrification projects to provide cleaner and healthier transportation to their communities, including those in rural or underserved parts of the country."

Additional takeaways from the survey include:

• Happier kids: 63% of parents believe their child would be happier commuting to school on an electric school bus. 
• Less respiratory illness and disease: 70% of parents believe pediatric asthma rates would decline among children riding an electric school bus.
• Better overall health: 68% of parents believe their child's overall physical health would improve as a result of riding an electric bus to school.
• Budgetary priority: 16% of parents rank electric school buses as their #1 top preferred infrastructure expenditure, over athletic facilities, building upgrades, administrative pay raises, and field trips. 

About Highland Electric Fleets
Highland Electric Fleets is the leading provider of electrification-as-a-service for school districts, governments, and fleet operators in North America. Founded in 2019, Highland offers a unique suite of products that make it simple and affordable to upgrade to electric fleets today. Active in 30 states and Canada, Highland is responsible for the first use of electric school buses in a commercial vehicle-to-grid (V2G) program and the largest electric school bus project in the United States to date. To learn more, visit www.highlandfleets.com. 

Methodology
This scientific random sample of 1000 US adults (age 18 and older) was surveyed between October 10, 2024 and October 13, 2024. All respondents are parents to at least one child aged 5-17 that rides, will ride, or previously rode on a school bus, as confirmed by both consumer-matched data and user self-confirmation. DKC Analytics conducted and analyzed this survey with a sample procured using the Pollfish survey delivery platform, which delivers online surveys globally through mobile apps and the mobile web along with the desktop web. No post-stratification has been applied to the results.

Media Contact:
Chris Orlando, [email protected]

SOURCE Highland Electric Fleets