CALIFORNIA - In his 31 years working in transit, George Karbowski has seen a number of innovative ideas dropped when results didn't meet expectations.

So he jumped at the opportunity to help see through Foothill Transit's $5.8 million Electric Bus Demonstration Project, which aims to develop an in-route charging electric bus system.

The project got a boost earlier this month when Foothill Transit awarded a $5.8 million contract to Proterra LLC for three electric buses and charging equipment.

The key to Proterra's new bus is that recharging takes 10 minutes - the same amount of time of a typical layover at the end of routes, said Proterra founder and chairman Dale Hill.

By putting charging docks within the route, the buses can run non-stop without issue, said Karbowski, director of operations for Foothill Transit.

The buses are nearly 5000 pounds lighter than comparable diesel buses because they are made of composites rather than steel, Hill said.