VIA Metropolitan Transit (TX) rolled out three all-electric buses this week thanks to a $5 million federal TIGGER grant. Called the Arc, the buses are circulating in downtown San Antonio.
“VIA is excited to have the opportunity to bring electric buses to San Antonio,” said Jeffrey Arndt, interim president and CEO, in a statement. “The Arc service marks a new direction for VIA as we introduce a completely emissions-free way to provide transit service to the central business district.”
Manufactured by Proterra, the buses are powered by an on-board battery and can run for 30 minutes miles between charges. Buses will recharge at the Robert Thompson Transit Station at the Alamodome using power generated by solar panels or turbines in West Texas wind farms as part of VIA’s Windtricity agreement with CPS Energy.
Each bus cost $1.2 million and is expected to save more than $40,000 a year in fuel costs over a conventional diesel bus. Link to full story in San Antonio Express-News.
Photo credit: Oran Viriyincy
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Fixed it. Thanks.
One small correction — the buses can run for 30 MILES between charges, not thirty minutes.
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