Dive Brief:
- The Township of Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago, debuted its new fleet of electric paratransit buses at an open house event on Oct. 1.
- The Township’s first transit electrification project includes four electric buses, five fast chargers and an intelligent charging management system with remote monitoring.
- "Through thoughtful fiscal planning, inter-governmental cooperation and working with EV experts, the Township of Schaumburg is able to keep older adults and people with disabilities independent,” while also reducing the vehicles’ environmental impact, Township Supervisor Timothy Heneghan said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
Electric transit and paratransit fleets have grown in recent years, aided by federal funding for low- or zero-emission transit buses. Such funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s Buses and Bus Facilities and Low or No Emission Bus competitive grant programs has continued under the Trump administration, with a $1.5 billion funding round in May.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched a pilot program last year, adding 15 electric vans to its paratransit fleet. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency plans to transition its paratransit fleet to be all-electric over 20 years and Pace Suburban Bus, which serves the Chicago region, debuted its first electric paratransit vehicle last year.
Polara, a charging system supplier, provided the 60 kW dual-connector fast chargers along with an energy management cabinet. “This project carries special meaning for us because of its strong social impact," Polara President Sébastien Fournier said in a statement.
Micro Bird, a U.S. and Canadian manufacturer of buses capable of carrying up to 28 passengers, provided the vehicles for this project.
