River Valley Transit to get new electric bus facility to support zero-emission operations
River Valley Transit (RVT) will be getting a new electric bus and maintenance administration facility in Middletown, Conn., to support the agency as it transitions to zero-emission operations. The facility is planned to accommodate bus maintenance, administrative activities, employee parking and operations at RVT’s other facility.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) chose STV to design the new facility, including the layout and operational requirements. CTDOT notes the design will ensure long-term flexibility as RVT grows its electric bus fleet.
“Electrifying a transit fleet depends on infrastructure that performs as reliably as the vehicles themselves,” said STV Vice President and Connecticut Area Manager David Breza. “Purpose built facilities enable agencies to scale electric fleets with confidence while maintaining service reliability as demand grows.”
Four buses will be accommodated in the maintenance bay, as well as plug-in charging, in-ground two-post lifts and other support spaces to meet RVT’s current fleet needs. The facility will also include a dedicated service lane for a bus wash, fare collection area and support space for bus maintenance activities.
RVT joins a growing list of agencies pivoting their focus to their garages and maintenance facilities as they roll out new propulsion types within their bus fleets. Pilots with emerging technologies are turning into larger procurements, but many operators lack the necessary space and equipment to support these new vehicles. As Mass Transit magazine reported in the January/February 2026 issue, bus facilities designed decades ago for diesel-based fleets are impacting the how quickly transit agencies can get zero-emission buses into full service.
As RVT works with STV on the facility design, it will be imperative to plan for the necessary power capacity and new workflows that come with electric vehicles while taking into account potential needs for the next decade.
About the Author
Megan Perrero
Editor in Chief
Megan Perrero is a national award-winning B2B journalist and lover of all things transit. Currently, she is the Editor in Chief of Mass Transit magazine, where she develops and leads a multi-channel editorial strategy while reporting on the North American public transit industry.
Prior to her position with Mass Transit, Perrero was the senior communications and external relations specialist for the Shared-Use Mobility Center, where she was responsible for helping develop internal/external communications, plan the National Shared Mobility Summit and manage brand strategy and marketing campaigns.
Perrero serves as the board vice president for LIT and is a member of the American Public Transportation Association Marketing and Communications Committee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism with a concentration in magazine writing and a minor in public relations from Columbia College Chicago.