The future of student transportation is arriving in Northeast Florida. 

Duval County Public Schools recently announced the deployment of more than 30 new electric school buses for the 2026-2027 school year, marking a significant step forward in sustainable transportation and cleaner communities. As school districts across the country continue exploring ways to reduce emissions and operating costs, electric school buses are quickly becoming an important part of the conversation. 

Miller Electric supported this initiative through our partnership with Highland Fleets, providing prefabricated EV charging skids to help power the new fleet. The skid-based solution streamlines the deployment of charging infrastructure by integrating critical electrical equipment into a factory-built, fully tested modular platform. The result is faster installation, reduced site disruption, lower costs, and improved safety.

Building the Infrastructure Behind the Buses – EV Skids 

While electric buses often take center stage, the charging infrastructure that supports them is equally critical. Reliable, efficient charging systems ensure fleets are ready to operate every day while minimizing disruptions to school transportation schedules. 

For the Duval County project, we provided our prefabricated EV charging skids, an innovative solution designed to simplify and accelerate the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. 

Unlike traditional field-built installations, EV charging skids are factory-built, fully tested modular systems that integrate critical electrical equipment, protection systems, controls, and charging infrastructure into a single platform. By shifting much of the work from the jobsite to a controlled manufacturing environment, projects can move forward more efficiently and with greater predictability.

Why EV Charging Skids Matter 

The transition to electrification brings exciting opportunities, but it also requires infrastructure that can be deployed quickly and reliably. Our skid-based approach offers several key advantages:

Faster Deployment 
Because fabrication and site preparation can occur simultaneously, installation timelines are significantly reduced. This means charging stations can become operational sooner, helping organizations accelerate their electrification goals. 

Reduced Site Disruption 
With most assembly and testing completed off-site, there is less construction activity at the customer facility. This helps minimize impacts to traffic flow, parking availability, fleet movements, and overall site operations. 

Lower Project Costs 
Shorter construction schedules often translate into lower overall project costs through reduced field labor, fewer site visits, and decreased exposure to weather-related delays and labor shortages.

Improved Safety 
Prefabrication reduces the amount of work performed in active operational environments. Fewer personnel are required on site, exposure to construction hazards is minimized, and installations can be completed more efficiently.

A Successful Partnership 

Projects like Duval County’s electric school bus initiative are successful because of strong collaboration among fleet operators, technology providers, utilities, local authorities, and construction partners. 

“Miller Electric was instrumental in the successful delivery of Highland’s Duval and Jacksonville, Florida, depot projects. As a Jacksonville-based contractor, Miller brought deep knowledge of the local AHJs and utility requirements, along with established relationships that helped move coordination, approvals, and field execution forward quickly. Their team found practical solutions to work through tight site conditions while keeping both depots operational throughout construction. Miller’s responsiveness, technical expertise, and ability to work collaboratively were key to the success of both projects. They continue to be one of Highland’s most valued electrical partners, not only in Florida but across our broader national program.” - Jeff Mobley, Highlands Fleet

Powering the Road Ahead 

The rollout of more than 30 electric school buses in Duval County represents more than just new vehicles on the road. It reflects a growing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and investing in infrastructure that will serve communities for years to come. 

As electrification continues to expand across transportation, education, municipal, and commercial sectors, Miller Electric remains committed to delivering solutions that help clients move forward with confidence. 

We’re excited to see these new buses hit the road and proud that our EV charging skids are helping power the next generation of student transportation.

Read more about Duval County’s electric school bus announcement HERE