Coming to Philadelphia and the DNC - the Electric Bus!

July 19, 2016

ISEPTAPHILLY

The DNC is almost here, ISEPTAPHILLYers! And when important outsiders come to our town, things tend to get interesting.

While the DNC won’t be shutting down roads in Center City quite like Pope Francis did, but the town will nevertheless adopt some new charm. 

You might have noticed the DNC “Donkeys Around Town,” around town.

We’re proud to announce that at SEPTA, we will also be doing our part to share the progress we have made, and the progress we’re continually pursuing. Next week, SEPTA, PECO and Proterra will exhibit our shared dedication to sustainable transit by offering test rides on an American-made, emission-free electric bus: the Proterra Catalyst®. The project is one of many aspects of Philadelphia’s commitment to hosting the most sustainable national political convention to date.

The Big Green Pickle Bus 

So we (along with Proterra and PECO) are very excited to invite you to SEPTA Headquarters (1234 Market Street) on Monday, July 25th from 1PM-5PM for both a tour of and a ride on SEPTA’s soon-to-be-deployed battery-electric bus. For more information, click here. 

In addition to checking out and learning about our new vehicle, we encourage you to spend time wandering through our new lobby exhibit, showcasing the evolution of the bus fleet in Philly.

1937

It gets better. We’re so excited to display the newest member of the SEPTA vehicle family, that we’re holding a contest. All you need to do to is take and tag a picture of the Proterra bus when you see it driving around town [on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram] with #SEPTAINABLE. You will be entered to win a SEPTA and Proterra gift bag,

And this is just the start. In the next year, SEPTA is adding 25 emission-free electric buses from Proterra. From SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon, “SEPTA already has one of the greenest bus fleets in the nation, with over half of our vehicles operating diesel-electric hybrids. The addition of electric buses furthers our commitment to a sustainable future for our riders and local residents.”

This was made possible by a grant of $2,585,075 from the Federal Transit Administration. The grant covers the cost of the five buses, as well as the five overhead chargers that will begin operating on two routes, the 25 and the 79, in 2017. The charging station for these buses will be the Southern Depot, out of which both of these routes run. These routes were chosen for their level roadways and proximity to the depot.

So ISEPTAPHILLYers, we hope to see you in our lobby next week, checking out our new wheels, learning more about the old, and getting acclimated with our newest, green-est initiative!