GoTriangle showed off its new electric buses at Raleigh’s Union Station this morning, spurring accolades from elected officials, including Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin and Congressman David Price.
The two electric buses were manufactured by Proterra Inc. and paid for by a $943,000 federal grant. Two $100,000 charging stations were paid for Duke Energy. While the buses can cost up to $450,000 each, they yield savings of up to $400,000 over time compared to a diesel bus, according to GoTriangle.
A regular diesel bus costs about 84 cents a mile to run, while the electric buses will only cost 19 cents a mile.
The new buses will provide greater access to jobs, healthcare, and education for the region while reducing the transit system’s environmental impact, Price said.
“With new electric buses rolling through North Carolina, GoTriangle showcases its commitment to sustainability and the promise of innovative partnerships in transportation,” Price said.
You won’t be able to catch a ride on these bad boys yet though– the drivers and mechanics are undergoing training and it will be a few weeks before the buses get incorporated into GoTriangle’s existing 74-bus fleet.
“I know you see a bus,” Baldwin said. “But I see the future.”
City Councilor Jonathan Melton was wooed by the buses in-seat charging outlets.
“It as very impressive and innovative,” Melton told the INDY in a text Tuesday. “The kind of transpiration option this city deserves.”
GoTriangle is also planning to construct a 40-story tower next to the train station that will form a key transit hub in the city. The project, funded partly by a $20 million federal grant, will include a bus station, office, and retail space as well as a mix of affordable and market-rate housing.
Contact Raleigh News Editor Leigh Tauss at ltauss@indyweek.com.
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