Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority has added 10 electric buses to its Regional Transit Service Fleet, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.
The buses are part of an ongoing effort to reduce carbon emissions produced by traditional diesel-fuel buses. Earlier this year, Cuomo announced as part of his “State of the State” address that RTS and four other transit agencies have committed to converting 25 percent of the bus fleets to electric by 2025 and a 100 percent electric by 2035.
“New York is the nation’s leader when it comes to combatting climate change, and as part of these efforts, we are electrifying transit buses in Rochester and across the state to reduce our carbon footprint,” Cuomo said. “Our state will continue to invest in our infrastructure and clean energy to promote sustainability and create a cleaner environment for future generations of New Yorkers.”
Six of the electric buses are already in service in the Finger Lakes Region, where they join a fleet serving 1.1 million people. Another four buses are scheduled to go into service this November.
Cuomo announced the funding for RTS to purchase the electric buses and their charging equipment in April 2017. The transit system anticipates adding 10 electric buses to the fleet by the end of 2021, and estimates its fleet will be 35 percent electric by 2025, exceeding the Governor’s stated goals.