Yellow School Buses To Play A Key Role In LA's Olympics Transportation Plan

LOS ANGELES, CA — More than 500 electric buses from local school districts will be used to transport attendees during the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, it was announced Monday.

On Monday, LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said the planning committee selected Highland Electric Fleets, North America's leading provider of electric school buses, as an official partner for the Games and Team USA. While school buses are on break during the summer, in 2028 they'll be put back to work.

"Welcoming Highland is an incredible step in the operational execution of the 2028 Games," Hoover said in a statement. "We're thrilled to collaborate with a company that shares our innovative approach to delivering mission-critical Games services."

According to LA28, rather than investing in new buses, the organization will rely on the iconic yellow school bus — reimagined as a zero-emission, American manufactured solution. Officials said the use of the vehicles will minimize the event's environmental impact.

Highland will oversee the operation of its school bus fleet, coordinating daily logistics and charging, managing depot activity, and providing on-site technical support to keep services running smoothly throughout the event.

"Highland Electric Fleets is honored to partner with LA28 to deliver one of the largest deployments of electric school buses ever assembled for a global sporting event," Duncan McIntyre, CEO of Highland Electric Fleets, said in a statement. "Together, we're proving that electrification can meet the demands of the biggest stage in sports while delivering zero-emission transportation solutions and inspiring ways of thinking differently around transportation and infrastructure."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass hailed the solution. According to her office, the city has the most electric chargers of any city in the country. Since Bass took office in 2022, the city has installed nearly 21,000 new EV chargers, more than doubling the total amount to almost 41,000.

"This partnership is a perfect example of what the 2028 Games are about — bringing together existing resources and demonstrating sustainable solutions while leaving a lasting impact for Angelenos," Bass said in a statement. "I want to thank Highland Electric Fleets and LA28 for their continued collaboration and efforts to deliver a successful and sustainable Games."

City News Service