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RTA Introduces new Zero Emission Electric Buses in Service

July 11, 2024:  On Monday July 15^th, the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (RTA) brings into service their first two battery electric buses (BEBs) bringing the agency closer to meeting California’s public transit electrification mandate.

RTA will run the new zero-emission electric buses on Route 12 that travels from downtown San Luis Obispo to Morro Bay and Los Osos. “RTA will continue to find ways to make our transportation fleet greener and cleaner, while still providing reliable service across our county.” Said RTA executive director Geoff Straw.

These fully electric buses are manufactured by GILLIG, which is a California based company. The RTA is committed to ensuring that BEBs can deliver the same standard of reliability and service as our diesel and gasoline powered vehicles.  In recent years, the transit industry has witnessed significant progress in battery-electric technology.

Battery electric vehicles cost less to power than diesel fuel buses, they are quieter and run without producing fuel emissions. Leading up to this launch, the RTA has been working with PG&E to complete and update the charging infrastructure needed to power our new battery electric fleet. Each bus takes about four hours to charge. Gillig estimates that each bus has a range of 240 miles on a single charge. RTA estimates savings of about $105,000 in diesel fuel and another $125,000 in maintenance costs over the life of the buses. The 40-foot buses were paid for using federal and state funding and cost approximately $1.4 M each. RTA has five additional electric buses on order which we expect to arrive in 2025.

RTA will be receiving $2,572,888 from the FTA

San Luis Obispo RTA is receiving $2,572,888 and Santa Barbara MTD is receiving $2,894,131 in Federal Transit Administration funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the 2021 infrastructure package crafted and passed by Rep. Carbajal, his colleagues, and the Biden-Harris Administration.

The San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority will receive funding to buy battery electric buses and chargers to replace older vehicles. This project will help meet ridership demand that had doubled between 2005 to 2019, and work toward the agency’s goal to transition its fleet to all zero-emission vehicles.

“Putting zero-emission buses on the roads of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo will help keep our air clean, reduce our region’s carbon footprint, and improve public transit reliability by installing new buses to serve Central Coast residents,” said Rep. Carbajal. “This is just the latest in what has been almost three years worth of investments from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I was proud to help pass last term. With nearly $1 billion already delivered for the Central Coast, this law is truly delivering once-in-a-generation investments that are raising the quality of life on the Central Coast.”

“Today, 117 communities, including Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, are receiving the good news that their transit buses are being modernized and their commutes improved through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Biden-Harris Administration is helping agencies across 47 states replace old buses running on dirty, expensive fuels by delivering modern and zero-emission buses, manufactured by American workers, that will connect more people to where they need to go.”

“The RTA Board of Directors is thrilled that our project was awarded almost $2.6 million in Federal Transit Administration funding” said Andy Pease, SLO County Supervisor and RTA Board President.” This discretionary funding will partially fund the purchase of four battery-electric buses to replace diesel powered buses that have reached the end of their economically useful lives, along with recharging dispensers. Our transition to zero-emission buses is already underway, and this new funding will allow us to accelerate this transition sooner than we would have been able to otherwise. It will allow us to continue providing great transportation for our communities while also advancing our climate goals in San Luis Obispo County.”

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For information about SLO RTA please visit http://www.slorta.org

Media Contacts, RTA: Mary Gardner, Marketing Manager 805-788-2706 or mgardner@slorta.org

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