The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (SDMTS) launched its first electric rapid service in its history on Oct 15. The service, Rapid 227, will serve the communities of Otay Mesa, Nestor and Imperial Beach. The new service features 12 60-foot electric buses, the first articulated electric vehicles in MTS’ fleet. To celebrate the launch of the new service, Rapid 227 will be free to ride through October.
Due to Rapid 227, SDMTS notes thousands of daily pedestrians crossing from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry will be able to walk directly to the Otay Mesa Transit Center and travel to Imperial Beach in 40 minutes or less. The route will feature limited stops (10) and will offer a connection from the border to the UC San Diego Blue Line via the Iris Avenue Transit Center in 15 minutes. Service will run every 15 minutes or better throughout most of the day.
“Rapid 227 means better bus service for South Bay and binational commuters. With the launch of Rapid 227, MTS will offer more than 600 extra hours of service between the border and Imperial Beach when compared to existing service,” said Chair of MTS and San Diego City Council Member for District 3 Stephen Whitburn. “The route will also feature new, cleaner, quieter electric buses. Sustainable transit initiatives like Rapid 227 allow for binational riders to explore all that San Diego has to offer in a sustainable and greener method of transit.”
Rapid 227 is a major milestone in the agency’s effort to transition to an all zero-emissions bus fleet in 2040. The Rapid 227 electric bus fleet will be charged by an $8.5 million overhead gantry charging system capable of charging 24 battery-electric buses at a time and it is expandable to add more charging capacity as MTS transitions its fleet to all electric over the coming years. The agency notes buses can be docked under the gantry in seconds and fully charged in just a few hours. SDMTS is the first transit agency to build this type of charging infrastructure in North America.
The complete Rapid 227 project is expected to be fully completed by 2024 and will feature new stations and amenities, a traffic signal at Coronado Avenue/30th Street and further improvements at Iris Avenue Transit Center.
