Electric buses expected to slash pollution and be a better fit on roads
A fleet of electric buses will cut the high level of cancellations, the director of the Department of Public Transportation said.
Roger Todd said the 30 hi-tech vehicles would also be better-suited to the island’s narrow roads than older buses.
He added the new buses, expected to take to the roads in a month’s time, will cut costs by 50 per cent in comparison with older diesel buses.
Lawrence Scott, the transport minister, said the arrival of the first buses was “a huge step forward, steering Bermuda towards a cleaner, more resilient future”.
He added the new buses were “the appropriate size for our roads, with lower floors and kneeling suspension” to improve access.
Another 20 buses will arrive in two shipments on March 28 and April 4.
The 28-seater buses, smaller than the 38-seater diesel models used at present, will not mean changes to the bus schedule or routes.
Temporary charging stations will be installed for the buses until permanent units are hooked up at the DPT headquarters at Fort Langton, Devonshire.
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Power firm Belco is carrying out trenching work from the National Stadium to Barker’s Hill as part of the installation process at the bus garage.
Engineers from the manufacturers, the Golden Dragon Bus Company in China, will spend three months on the island to train DPT staff.
Mr Todd said the buses were “brand new, straight off the factory floor, with a shelf life of 12 years”.
The buses are equipped with CCTV and reversing cameras and have USB chargers at the seats.
The reduction in emissions is expected to be the equivalent of 1,500 fewer cars when the full complement of buses is operational.
Mr Scott said the vehicles positioned Bermuda as “one of the leaders in the Caribbean for transitioning to electric public transportation”.
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