Electric buses, statewide bike plans and other transportation tidbits

Proterra Light Pole Charging StationThe Duluth Transit Authority has been awarded a $6.3-million grant to purchase six electric buses and a fast-charge station. Duluth was considered an excellent test location for the development of electric vehicle technology because of its challenging cold weather and steep terrain.

The grant comes from the Federal Transit Administrations Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Program; the buses and charging station will come from Proterra, a South Carolina company that designs and manufactures zero-emission electric transit vehicles and systems.

The DTA was one of 10 grant applicants that will receive funding. A $1.1-million local share will bring the total project cost to $7.5 million.

The buses and charging station are expected to be available in 2016 and will be integrated into the DTA’s new Multimodal Transportation Center, which is under construction at Michigan Street and Third Avenue West and scheduled to open before the end of 2015.

In other transit news …

1 Comment

banjo tom

about 9 years ago

Great news. My reaction is tainted, however, since reading a recent Atlantic Monthly article. Perhaps our next effort in successful public transportation is just getting people to use it.

From the article:

Americans love public transportation—so long as they aren't the ones using it. While most support investment in buses, trolleys, and trains, cars remain by far the most popular way to travel. If the expense of driving reflected how much cars really cost—for the economy, the environment, and public health—would more people actually get on board?

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