Metro Roundup: BJCTA is adding two new electric buses to its fleet

The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority is adding two new electric buses into its fleet, according to a May 17 BJCTA news release.

The BJCTA will show off one of the new vehicles at a news conference on Thursday, May 20, at 11 a.m., the release states.

“We are excited to introduce the first of what may be more electric vehicles to be added to our fleet in the future,” BJCTA CEO Frank T. Martin said. “These buses are better for the environment and more efficient.”

The BJCTA expects to have the electric buses on routes before the fall of 2021.

To purchase the two 35-foot battery electric buses, the BJCTA used $1.5 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration that the authority applied for in 2018. The funds also paid for specialized training, a dual depot charger and charging infrastructure. 

The public is invited to tour the new bus after the Thursday news conference. Social distancing measures will be in place and masks are required. 

People can also see the bus at Pepper Place in Lakeview on Saturday, May 22, during an electric vehicle event sponsored by the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition.

For more information, visit maxtransit.org.