The Owensboro Transit System recently received a grant for more than $1 million to purchase the City’s first fully electric bus. Owensboro was the only city in the state to receive the federal Low or No Admissions Grant, and the bus should be arriving in 12-18 months.
The vehicle will be fully electric and operate on 350 miles per charge. Because Owensboro’s bus routes run under 200 miles per day, officials said there should be no problems holding charge on a daily basis. The bus itself will cost $960,000 and the charging station another $100,000, all of which was awarded through the grant.
Aside from pushing the City of Owensboro in a more high-tech direction, the new bus will also be good for the environment, according to Transit Manager Pamela Canary.
“Our mechanics are excited for the opportunity to learn something new,” Canary said. “Electric buses have been out for close to a decade. Early on, there was a question of how long the charge would last and how you could operate if the bus didn’t make it all day.”
Those are no longer concerns, Canary said, and the electric bus will be fine in handling the City’s primarily flat routes. It will be slightly longer than Owensboro’s current buses at 35 feet. It is expected to last 12 years, which is equivalent to the other buses operated by OTS.
“It’s good for the environment because there’s no carbon dioxide emissions released in the air, and it’s a great opportunity for the city. It helps lessen pollution and it’s a step forward in technology,” Canary said. “We are expanding our knowledge. It’s new for everybody.”
The electric bus will replace one of the City’s current units that’s pushing 20 years old, Canary said. OTS will get to choose from a lineup of options that ensures it’s equipped with everything it needs.
The interior will feature a “clean, modern color code” of gray and dark gray, while the seats will be made of vinyl, which are easier to clean.
This will be the City’s second new bus ordered over the past year. Last winter, OTS ordered a new one that still hasn’t come in, Canary said. COVID-19, like with so many other things, has put a hold on the California-based company that produces buses for Owensboro.
Canary said OTS is excited for the new things to come and to continue updating Owensboro’s public transportation in every way possible.
“We’re looking toward the future,” she said. “We want to do things today that can continue to benefit us 5-10 years from now.”
