Electric buses in Glades County aims to help...

GLADES COUNTY, Fla. — The Glades County School District just announced how its electric school bus fleet can provide backup power during hurricane season.

Highland Electric Fleets, who makes the buses, says they can act as mobile generators, cooling stations, or even send energy back to the grid to power essential services like schools, shelters, and community centers during a power outage.

The district says this emergency function could be key during hurricane season by giving communities a flexible tool if the power’s out. To show that in action, one bus was used to power a snow-cone machine for students at a community demonstration.

Glades County Schools first put these 13 electric buses on the road in January, replacing more than half its aging diesel fleet. Since then, the district says the buses have brought air conditioned rides to students for the first time, lowered running costs, and reduced emissions.

Now, they say they’re ready to help out the community if the lights go out.