Sonoma County in California is making a commitment to green transportation by purchasing ten battery-electric buses from Proterra. These buses will replace the ten compressed natural gas buses currently in use, and will arrive in the summer of 2024, joining the six other electric buses expected to arrive in June. This will increase the number of electric buses in the county's 49-bus fleet to 19, making up nearly 40% of the fleet. The purchase aligns with California Air Resources Board regulations that mandate the use of zero-emission vehicles for public transit starting in 2029, with the goal of retiring all fossil-fueled buses by 2040.
Proterra, a California-based company, offers buses eligible for local, state, and federal funding sources. The state's zero-emission truck and bus voucher incentive gave Proterra a discount of $120,000 per bus, reducing the county's cost to $1,028,704 per vehicle. The buses will have a range of up to 300 miles and come equipped with high-back reclining seats, video security, onboard Wi-Fi, passenger information systems, electronic fareboxes, and other safety features.
The new electric buses will be deployed on main intercity routes between Monte Rio, Santa Rosa and Sonoma, and between Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and Cloverdale. Sonoma County Transit already operates its first all-electric bus on Route 24, the fare-free Sebastopol Shuttle, since 2018.
“With this investment, Sonoma County is leading the way in meeting California's zero-emissions targets,” said Chris Coursey, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Our transition to zero-emission public transportation demonstrates our commitment to climate action and resilience.”
The purchase was approved unanimously by the Board and follows the deployment of Proterra buses in the cities of Santa Rosa and Napa.
The new buses boast a range of features that cater to the comfort and safety of passengers, such as high-back reclining seats, video security, Wi-Fi connectivity, real-time passenger information system, electronic fareboxes and more.
Each bus comes with an impressive price tag of $1,028,704, inclusive of an extended five-year warranty, freight charges and sales tax. Fortunately, the State of California's hybrid and zero-emission voucher incentive program offered a discount of $120,000 per bus, reducing the county's net cost.
Not only do these buses offer a comfortable ride, but they also have an environmentally-friendly edge. These battery-powered buses have the largest range and battery capacity among its competitors, with a minimum range of 300 miles between charges, subject to factors such as passenger load and weather conditions.
