NEWS RELEASE
THE CITY OF GUELPH
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The City of Guelph marks an important milestone this week in its effort to reach 100 per cent renewable energy use by 2050 with the purchase of four fully-electric Guelph Transit buses, which will replace diesel buses currently on the road.
The new buses will be delivered and running by summer 2022. In the meantime, work is underway at the Guelph Transit facility on Watson Road to install electric vehicle charging equipment, which will be transferable to the City’s Operations Campus when constructed. Over the next year, Guelph Transit will use data such as passenger counts, distance travelled and number of stops a bus makes to determine which routes the electric buses will be assigned to ensure the highest efficiency use of power.
“The City has spent the last two years analyzing route data and modelling studies and connecting with other transit providers to share learned experiences before putting out a request for proposals to purchase new electric buses,” says Chris Hill, program manager of fleet planning at the City of Guelph. “The winning proposal from Nova Bus is just the start of a robust plan to train staff, determine the best routes and expand our infrastructure to power these new buses.”
City Council approved a strategy in May 2018 to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions, of which, Guelph Transit’s diesel buses produce 35 per cent. This purchase represents an important step in the City’s goal to have 65 electric buses added to its fleet by 2028.
A number of Canadian cities have started using electric buses, including Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Brampton and York Region. Grand River Transit in Waterloo Region has issued a tender for eleven electric buses.
The new buses are expected to offer a quieter, more comfortable ride. The simpler design of electric motors will reduce maintenance costs and last longer than diesel engines, while producing zero tailpipe emissions to the atmosphere.
Funding
The $5.3 million dollar initial investment is a part of a larger $177 million dollar spend to expand and electrify Guelph Transit’s fleet, infrastructure and facilities, using $40 million in federal infrastructure funding and $33 million in provincial funding. The remaining $104 million will be covered by the City using $47 million in development charges and $57 million of tax supported reserve funds.
Sustaining our future
Electrifying Guelph Transit’s fleet support’s the City’s strategic plan, Guelph. Future ready. by helping achieve the City’s climate adaptation plans, reducing Guelph’s carbon footprint and investing in green infrastructure that supports Guelph’s growth.
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