Metrobuses, as we know them, are soon to be no more. The county is going green with the rollout of new 100% electric buses for its public transit system, in addition to upgraded passenger shelters!
On Thursday, Miami-Dade County unveiled a fleet of 40 battery-powered buses, with more on the way.
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava rode to the press conference at the Stephen P. Clark Center on an electric bus, along with other county officials, and said the move is one step closer towards converting the entire bus system.
“With this purchase, we are now one step closer to converting our entire county fleet to electric, which has been a major goal of our countywide climate action strategy,” Cava said Thursday.
The county’s climate action strategy intends to reduce emissions and create cost savings for transit riders and county residents alike.
The 40-foot-long buses take about four hours to charge and have a 175-mile range. They are a part of a group of 75 new Proterra ZX5 buses that the county purchased and with all 75, it will be one of the nation’s largest electric bus fleets, making up 10% of the county’s zero-emission vehicles.
In addition to the rollout, the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) unveiled its new Bus Passenger Shelter Program, which includes new covered bus shelters, trash containers, bicycle racks and improved pedestrian accessibility to and from bus shelters. The program will ensure that all new and existing bus passenger shelters are well maintained, safe, well-illuminated and appealing for all users.
We definitely look forward to what’s to come in Miami-Dade County, with this rollout being “an investment in our future, our environment and our safety,” Cava said.