This case profiles Highland Electric Fleets, a Massachusetts-based startup solving one of the most overlooked climate puzzles: the yellow school bus. Founded by Duncan McIntyre, Highland pioneered a fleet-as-a-service model to help school districts electrify their bus systems by bundling vehicles, charging, financing, maintenance, and grid optimization into a single subscription fee.

In less than five years, Highland became the largest electric school bus contractor in the U.S., signing deals in over 30 states, six Canadian provinces, and tribal communities—while helping districts apply for grants and reduce emissions in frontline communities. But Highland’s model required relentless stakeholder alignment—from OEMs to utilities to skeptical bus drivers—and careful navigation of grant design, supply chain uncertainty, and political pushback (“Biden buses” weren’t welcomed everywhere).

The case explores how Highland used policy fluency, hands-on service, and deep local presence to drive adoption in a decentralized system. The Teaching Note dives into the interplay between public-sector incentives and private-sector execution, and how startups can lead in culturally sensitive, systems-fractured markets while building durable infrastructure for climate impact.