2018 GDOT Annual Report

G R E E N S B O R O T R A N S I T A U T H O R I T Y

Electric Buses Are On Their Way

As part of Greensboro Transit Authority’s commitment to sustainability and stewardship, the system has placed an order for ten all-electric, 40-foot transit buses capable of carrying up to 40 seated passengers at a time. The frst buses are expected to arrive in November.

GTA’s battery-electric bus uses a patented quick-charge station suspended overhead at the Depot. Once the bus arrives near the structure, a simple push of the button causes the bus to maneuver itself into the required position. The electric prong lowers itself into the bus and starts the charging sequence.

The new bus is powered by a series of batteries located under the foor and inside the former engine compartment. The electric motor can propel the bus to a top speed of 65 miles per hour. All of the additional systems in the bus, such as air conditioning and lighting, are also powered by the electric batteries. Under normal conditions, the bus can travel up to 190 miles without the need to recharge. That makes it easily able to travel most of GTA’s routes in and out of the downtown Depot. One of the initial features riders will notice when cruising on the battery-electric bus is the noise – or rather the lack thereof. Since there is no mechanical engine, there is none of the familiar bus sounds during use. Riders will experience the equivalent sound level of an electric car. Since there is no diesel engine, there is no engine exhaust. The GTA battery-electric bus will release zero emissions into the environment. The buses will have the standard GTA amenities, such as wheelchair ramps, talking bus announcements and bicycle racks. As a frst for our riders, the bus will feature a Plug ’N Ride system of USB outlets to charge mobile phones and devices during travel.

With advanced charging technology, it can recharge a bus from 20 to 80 percent capacity in about six minutes,

enabling it to top of between runs if needed. Standard chargers will be available at the GTA

Operations and Maintenance Facility where buses will receive overnight power charging. The bus battery is also recharged with regenerative braking energy, which prolongs brake life and further reduces maintenance costs. The buses purchased by GTA are the Catalyst model built by Proterra Inc. from Greenville, SC. They have provided buses for transit systems throughout the United States, including Seattle, Washington, D.C., Nashville, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Anchorage, Alaska. Greensboro will be the frst municipal transit system in North Carolina to use battery-electric buses in local bus service. We will receive the frst units in November and introduce them into service in December. If you would like to follow the production of GTA’s battery-electric bus, visit ridegta.com or follow us on Twitter @gtaheat and Instagram @gtaheatbus.

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