This month, the SamTrans Board of Directors resolved to replace thirty diesel buses with twenty battery electric buses (BEB) and ten hydrogen-fuel cell electric buses (FCEB). This purchase helps accelerate the planned fleet conversion by SamTrans from 2038 to 2034.
SamTrans will introduce a mix of BEB and FCEB at the launch of its Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) fleet deployment in order to evaluate how the two technologies operate under different situations, which routes they serve best, and what infrastructure is required to satisfy their needs. SamTrans will ultimately establish a strategy to convert the entire fleet to ZEB by 2034, six years prior to the state-mandated deadline of 2040.
The purchases award New Flyer of America a $13.9 million contract for the FCEBs and Gillig LLC of Livermore, California a $22.8 million contract for the BEBs. Full funding for the acquisition comes from a combination of federal, state, and SamTrans sales tax dollars. The new buses will replace the 2009 40-foot diesel buses, which are among the fleet’s oldest vehicles. The diesel buses have reached the end of their useful life and must be replaced to ensure passengers continue to get reliable service and to comply with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) regulations.
The new 40-foot buses will be utilized throughout the SamTrans service region and can accommodate 38 seated passengers and up to 18 standing passengers. As with all SamTrans buses, the new buses provide priority seating for elderly and persons with disabilities, as well as bike racks that can hold up to three bicycles.
In addition, all double seats on the new buses will be equipped with USB charging connections. The buses will be equipped with disc brakes, which are becoming an industry standard since they require less upkeep. The buses have a low-floor design, which means they will be outfitted with ramps instead of lifts, and Q-Pod wheelchair restraint systems to hold wheelchair users, which are easier for operators to use and offer additional safety features beyond the current ratchet system.
It is anticipated that these buses would enter service in 2023.
