Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT) launched their first two electric buses in November, according to RATP Dev USA.
The two Proterra Model ZX5+ vehicles feature upgraded safety and passenger amenities, including public Wi-Fi. The buses debuted on the city’s Routes 1 and 11, which both serve Broadway (Highway 135) for the first week of service. SMRT will then rotate them to each route, so all community members have a chance to ride them.
“We are using federal and state grants to become 100 percent electric well ahead of state mandates,” SMRT’s Transit Service Manager Gamaliel Anguiano said. “These first two zero-emission vehicles represent a significant modernization of our city’s public transit fleet and represent the smart direction the city is taking in many of its programs.”
These two electric buses are the first step in SMRT’s transition to zero-emission vehicles and becoming carbon-free by 2024. The new buses will come with the new SMRT branding livery. One bus has an artistic design reflecting the local landscape and a setting sun. The second bus is a vibrant electric blue and yellow. Both vehicles will be equipped with the latest in air quality management equipment.
With the adoption of the city’s 2022-24 budget, the Transit Division is authorized to spend about $22 million in federal and state funding over the next two fiscal years to support the purchase of as many as 15 electric buses, which will expand the total number of electric buses in the fleet to 17.
