[College Hill Topeka] Fwd: Topeka Metro Board of Directors votes for six new buses

[Katrina Shaw]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rachelle Vega-Retana <rvretana at topeka.org>
Date: Wed, Jul 20, 2022 at 2:04 PM
Subject: Topeka Metro Board of Directors votes for six new buses
To:


*TOPEKA, KAN. (July 20, 2022)* – Moving toward the future, on Monday July
18th, Topeka Metro’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of six new
heavy-duty transit buses.

Three of the buses will have traditional diesel drive systems, while three
will be Topeka Metro’s first fully electric buses. The acquisition of the
three electric buses will mark the beginning of a pilot project that will
test the new technology in real operating conditions. The pilot period will
consist of a three-year effort of testing various scenarios related to such
things as weather, passenger loads and states of battery charge in order to
better understand how electric buses could potentially be utilized by
Topeka Metro.

The electric buses are manufactured by Proterra Operating Company, Inc., of
Burlingame, California. The total cost of the three electric buses,
chargers and warranties will be $3,506,547.

A portion of the cost--$1,737,825--will be grant-funded under the Federal
Transit Administration’s Low and No Emissions program. The delivery of the
buses is expected to be in within 12-18 months. Gillig, LLC, of Livermore,
California, is the manufacturer of the diesel buses. The total cost of
these three buses will be $1,727,760, of which $1,468,596 will be
grant-funded under the Federal Transit Administrations Bus and Bus
Facilities Program. The delivery of these buses is also expected to be
within 12-18 months.

The addition of these six new buses will ultimately mark the end for some
of Topeka Metro’s oldest buses that have been in service for over 12 years.
Over the next few years, Topeka Metro will be working to transition its
current fleet in a new direction as it works to evolve into a more
efficient and effective service.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to bring a new type of bus to
Topeka, featuring a cleaner and quieter ride that benefits our riders, and
broader community,” said Bob Nugent, Metro’s General Manager. “These new
buses will allow us to test innovative technologies and features that can
hopefully be expanded upon in the future as we seek to diversify our
services.”

Keri Renner
Director of Marketing & Communications
Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority
201 N. Kansas
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/201+N.+Kansas+%0D%0ATopeka,+Kansas+66603?entry=gmail&source=g>
Topeka, Kansas 66603
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/201+N.+Kansas+%0D%0ATopeka,+Kansas+66603?entry=gmail&source=g>
785-730-8616
krenner at topekametro.org
<krenner at topekametro.org?subject=Six%20new%20buses%20ordered%20for%20Topeka%20Metro>
www.topekametro.org
<https://topekametro.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f658c882dcda835f574e6419d&id=2a6964d062&e=1f90a6299d>



Rachelle Vega-Retana, Grants Administrator

City of Topeka, Dept. of Planning & Development

Division of Housing Services

620 SE Madison St
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/620+SE+Madison+St?entry=gmail&source=g>.
1st Floor – Unit 8

Topeka, Ks. 66607

Phone: (785) 368-4490

Fax:      (785) 368-2546

Email:    rvretana at topeka.org



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