TTC putting more electric buses on the road
Tomorrow, the TTC will be increasing the number of all electric buses (eBuses) it has in service and expanding eBus charging infrastructure to a second location, the Mount Dennis Bus Garage.
Vehicles from Proterra Inc., one of three companies manufacturing all-electric buses for the TTC, will be based exclusively out of Mount Dennis. The first route with the Proterra buses will be 6 Bay.
The TTC purchased 60 all-electric buses from three manufacturers: 25 from Proterra Inc., 25 from New Flyer Industries Inc. and 10 from BYD Canada Co. Ltd. The TTC’s complete complement of electric buses, scheduled to arrive in full by the first quarter of 2020, will make up one of the largest mini-fleets of electric buses in North America.
The TTC’s Arrow Road Bus Division was the first TTC location to be outfitted with the leading-edge charging technology and the TTC’s Eglinton Garage will follow later this year. Ten New Flyer eBuses are already in service, operating out of the Arrow Road Bus Division and nine additional Proterra vehicles will enter service in the coming weeks as each completes testing and commissioning.
“Our city is committed to tackling climate change with meaningful action," said Mayor John Tory. "Investing in electric buses is one of the many ways Toronto is working to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while improving our transit system.”
“The TTC continues to plan for climate change and work towards a 100 per cent zero emissions fleet by 2040,” said TTC Chair Jaye Robinson. “We’re very excited to be making headway and moving forward with this important project.”
The electrification of vehicles is a key component of the City’s TransformTO climate action strategy, which targets an 80 per cent reduction in local greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To meet that target, 100 per cent of vehicles in Toronto must transition to low-carbon energy by 2050. The electrification of buses demonstrates the City’s commitment to lead by example. Vehicles generate about one-third of the emissions in Toronto today. The TTC’s new eBuses operate on truly green propulsion technology with zero tailpipe emissions.
The Government of Canada and the City of Toronto are investing $140 million in this project under federal Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). The money is being used for these electric buses and to begin laying the infrastructure for future expansion of the TTC’s zero-emissions fleet. This fund is helping keep Torontonians moving through investments in the repair, modernization and expansion of the city’s transit and active transportation networks. In total, up to $1.8 billion is being invested in Toronto through PTIF, which was launched on August 23, 2016.