The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has hit a significant stride in its journey towards a cleaner environment. Last month, its fleet of electric buses surpassed one million miles on the road. This achievement marks a notable step in the city's efforts to combat climate change. According to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, these miles mean avoiding some 2,130 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent being released into San Diego's air.
In their expanding arsenal against the adverse effects of our modern world, these electric vehicles notably contribute to lessening the climate's burden, a feat that MTS Board Chair and City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn is proud to highlight. "This great milestone demonstrates MTS’ commitment to fostering a healthier environment and reaching our climate goals," Whitburn said, as per the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. With the agency's Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) transition plan well underway, they had begun amplifying their electric bus procurement efforts significantly earlier than the 2023 state mandate.
As per MTS, the region witnessed the inauguration of its first electric Rapid bus route, Rapid 227, in October last year. This route consists of twelve 60-foot battery electric buses. These buses, the first articulated electric vehicles within the MTS fleet, signal the evolving transportation paradigm in San Diego. Additional electric buses in the fleet serve various routes throughout different regions, allowing for diverse testing and offering more passengers the opportunity to experience an electric ride.
Currently, MTS operates 25 electric buses and plans to integrate 13 more into its fleet by early 2025. MTS began its shift toward zero-emissions vehicles in December 2019, a substantial pivot that saw the last diesel bus retired by February 2021. Progressing steadfastly, the agency also made headway in infrastructure, laying the groundwork for necessary support systems—like an overhead charging system at South Bay—and aiming to establish a new environmentally-conscious bus division.
