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Electric Buses Coming to North SD County

Most of the electric vehicles you see on the road today are passenger vehicles, but that’s about to change. Electric buses are coming to our region!

Recently, the North County Transit District (NCTD), which serves the northern parts of San Diego County, received a $1.2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to buy zero-emission, electric buses to replace diesel buses in its fleet.

We applaud NCTD’s leadership in clean transportation and share the agency’s commitment to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions through transportation electrification.

Part of our company’s vision is to expand the charging infrastructure beyond personal vehicles to accommodate plug-in, medium/heavy-duty vehicles such as electric buses and trucks.

Working Together to Make It Happen

Earlier this year, we submitted a proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission to seek approval to install chargers to serve medium/heavy-duty electric vehicles and equipment. A decision on the proposal is expected in the first quarter of 2019.

Cleaning up the Air for a Healthier Future

According to the California Air Resources Board, the transportation sector accounts for 39% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California. In the San Diego region, the percentage of GHG emissions from transportation is even higher – approximately 50 percent.

In both 2016 and 2017, our region received an “F” ozone grade in The American Lung Association’s State of the Air report. Much of the ozone pollution comes from tailpipe emissions. Long-term exposure to ozone pollution can cause or worsen a host of health problems, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary obstruction.

To Learn More

In the coming months, NCTD plans to assess the zero emission vehicles that are on the market, evaluate bus routes that could use the new electric buses, and determine facility improvements that are required to support zero emission bus operations. 

To learn more about the agency’s initiative, click on this link. To learn more about SDG&E’s proposal to expand the charging infrastructure for medium/heavy-duty vehicles, click on this link.