Rock Region METRO, Arkansas’s largest transit agency, has launched the state’s first five zero-emission mass transit buses. The 40-foot Proterra ZX5 Max buses will enter service in July following additional staff training.
“The Rock Region METRO team is proud to contribute to a more sustainable future by operating Arkansas’s first electric mass transit buses,” said Justin Avery, Rock Region METRO CEO. “Sharing your ride just got even more sustainable.”
The buses were funded primarily by a 2021 $4.9 million “Shock the Rock” FTA Bus and Bus Facilities competitive grant, the agency’s largest competitive grant award to date. The battery electric buses, or BEBs, have an operating range of 220 to 340 miles and operate with 738 kWh of power. Three charging cabinets have been installed at the METRO headquarters that offer two 300-amp dispensers per cabinet, allowing all five vehicles to be charged simultaneously, and the vehicles’ batteries come with a 12-year warranty.
The estimated service launch will be in early-to-mid July, and the first few months of operation will involve evaluations of the vehicles’ operational range. The buses will be rotated among the following routes: 3 Baptist Medical Center, 5 West Markham, 8 Rodney Parham, 10 McCain Mall, 14 Rosedale, 22 University Ave./Mabelvale and 23 Baseline/Southwest.
“As the state’s largest public transit agency, serving Arkansas’s urban core, we are accustomed to being the agency taking on new learning curves, and our foray into electric buses is no different than other METRO ‘firsts’ in that respect,” said Avery. “We are thankful to our supporters, including the Arkansas federal delegation, for understanding the critical need to diversify our fleet with locally-produced alternate fuel options to ensure service stability and sustainability.”
The addition of the BEBs will allow METRO to remove the last diesel buses in its fleet from service, effectively completing its goal to transition away from diesel-fueled vehicles by the end of 2025. It also fulfills the U.S. Department of Transportation Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026 climate and sustainability strategic objectives to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and advance a sustainable transportation system.
To learn more, click here.
Photo Credit: Rock Region Metro/Facebook
READ ALSO: LEADERSHIP ARKANSAS CLASS XVIII APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
