SporTran has deployed Louisiana's first fleet of zero-emission, battery-electric buses in Shreveport. The five Proterra 40 Catalyst E2 buses will go into service this month, and serve Louisiana's third-largest city. This milestone marks the combined commitment and foresight of SporTran and Shreveport in being the first city in the state to purchase battery-electric buses, paving the way for other public transit agencies to follow suit and recognise the economic, environmental and operations benefits.
"In the wake of a devastating hurricane season for surrounding communities, we're reminded by our long-term mission to sustainably serve Shreveport and our neighbours," said Dinero Washington, CEO at SporTran. "This means providing reliable and safe transit for all. It also means providing innovative and cost-saving solutions that ensure clean, reliable transit today and for years to come. We're proud to partner with Proterra and introduce these new zero-emission buses into our fleet."
In 2016, SporTran won the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Low or No-Emission Vehicle Deployment Grant, which funded the five electric buses, three depot chargers and an on-route fast charger. By replacing its diesel buses, SporTran estimates that the new Proterra Catalyst buses will save more than $2.2 million on maintenance and fuel over the lifetime of the five vehicles. As a result, SporTran will re-invest the savings into Shreveport's transportation system with the goal of improving bus routes, technology and rider experience.
Proterra's Catalyst E2 series gets 22 MPGe, while conventional diesel buses average 3.86 MPG. And unlike the industry's widely-used steel bus frames, Proterra's lightweight carbon-fibre reinforced composite bus body maximises vehicle life, while minimising repairs and maintenance. These buses will utilise Combined Charged Standard (CCS) plug-in DC fast chargers, enabling multiple types and brands of EV cars, trucks and busses to potentially share the same charging equipment and lower infrastructure costs for all electric vehicles. Over the 12-year lifetime of the five Proterra zero-emission buses, SporTran will avoid more than 18 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.
