Montgomery County Public Schools requests 150 diesel buses despite 2025 electric-only purchase policy
By Eve
Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland has drawn criticism for requesting nearly 150 new diesel buses, contradicting a policy that all new school bus purchases from 2025 should be electric. The move follows operational problems with its electric bus supplier, Highland Electric Fleets, including late deliveries, non-working buses and charging issues that the county inspector general labelled wasteful. County Executive Marc Elrich called the diesel request wrong and suggested legislation to bar county funds from diesel bus purchases.
Why it matters
The reversal highlights how supplier performance and charging reliability can derail public fleet electrification mandates, potentially prompting stricter procurement rules. It also signals reputational and contractual risk for charging and fleet operators unable to meet delivery and uptime commitments on large school contracts.
Source
- Source
- https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/transportation/mcps-diesel-school-buses-electric/4070781/
- Original title
- “‘Not a good idea': MCPS requests diesel school buses despite move to electric”
- Published
- 4 March 2026 (date approximate)
- Updated
- 22 September 2026
- Also covered by
- Google News
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