Here’s the short version: the “500 electric school buses” plan is real—but it’s for the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games in 2028, announced on September 29, 2025 (not for a 2025 Olympics).
LA28 named Highland Electric Fleets as its partner to deploy 500 zero-emission yellow school buses during the Games. Instead of buying new vehicles, the plan repurposes existing electric school buses from local districts, with Highland running charging, depot ops, and daily logistics.
What’s Actually Happening
- Who’s providing the buses? Highland Electric Fleets, a company that finances and operates electric school bus programs across the U.S. (they also run large vehicle-to-grid pilots). LA28 has designated them the “official electric school bus provider.”
- How many and for whom? 500 buses will move accredited stakeholders—think athletes, staff, media, and officials—between venues and hubs. The idea is to take pressure off regular transit while keeping emissions low.
- New purchases? No. The buses are drawn from existing local school district fleets and used during a period when school demand is lower (summer), reducing cost and embodied carbon. Highland will manage charging and operations throughout the event.
Why School Buses?
Electric school buses are abundant in Southern California thanks to years of state and local investment. California has already funded thousands of zero-emission school buses, with strong momentum despite national policy swings—so there’s real inventory to tap for a mega-event.
How it Fits into LA’s 2028 Transport Picture
LA28 and local agencies (LA Metro, LADOT, Caltrans) are pursuing a “transit-first” Games, adding bus-priority lanes, first/last-mile improvements, and expanding fleets. There are still funding and timing challenges—Metro has been planning big bus operations and seeking federal support—but the school-bus strategy aligns with leveraging existing assets instead of building from scratch.
Environmental and Legacy Angles
- Immediate impact: 500 battery-electric buses displace diesel shuttles, cutting tailpipe emissions and noise around venues and neighborhoods during the Games.
- Cost/complexity: Repurposing buses avoids the cost, lead times, and supply-chain risk of buying new vehicles solely for the Olympics. Highland’s turnkey model means LA28 doesn’t have to stand up charging/depot ops itself.
- Legacy: Because the buses return to their districts afterward, the Games amplify an everyday clean-air upgrade for students, rather than leaving behind specialized fleets with limited post-event use.
What This is Not
- It’s not a replacement for the broader bus and rail plan LA Metro is coordinating (which includes thousands of buses and bus-only lanes for spectators). It’s a slice focused on accredited groups.
- It’s not tied to a “2025 Los Angeles Olympics”—there isn’t one. The Games are July–August 2028, and the 500-bus announcement was made in September 2025 as part of LA28’s evolving transport strategy.