Plans for the construction of a 19-space electric bus charging facility at Sonoma County Transit station (located on West Robles Avenue in Santa Rosa) was approved by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.
The new facility will provide charging for 30-foot, 35-footand 40-foot battery-electric transit buses in compliance with state regulations that require transit operators to transition their fleets to zero-emission vehicles by 2040. Sonoma County Transit currently has nine electric buses in its fleet of 49 buses.
“This project is a direct investment in the health and well-being of our communities, now and in the future,” said Chris Coursey, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “It reflects our commitment to leading on zero-emission public transportation and stands as an important example of local government doing its part to ensure access to both clean air and reliable transportation across our communities.”
The new charging facility is expected to have capacity to charge up to 32 vehicles overnight, plus a natural gas-powered generator with capacity to charge 10 buses in the event of a power disruption. In January, the Board of Supervisors authorized the purchase of 10 additional 40-foot electric buses, including charging equipment.
Cost of the electric bus charging facility is roughly $4.8 million and is funded by a combination of local Transportation Development Act funds and state Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program funds. Anvil Builders out of Emeryville was chosen as the project contractor following a competitive bidding process. The project is expected to be completed by June 2024.
