Chatham Area Transit will be debuting one of its new electric buses as a participant in the St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17.
“We are thrilled to be able to demonstrate our desire to help reduce our carbon footprint as Savannah comes together for this holiday occasion,” said CEO Faye DiMassimo. “This family event is a perfect opportunity to showcase our commitment to go green.”
The bus is one of six GILLIG battery-powered buses CAT recently acquired to replace diesel buses that have reached the end of their useful life.
CAT anticipates the electric buses’ first day of pilot service will be on Earth Day, April 22. The pilot launch will follow the completion of an electric bus roll-out plan, which is intended to ensure the efficient deployment of the vehicles.
Charging stations were also recently installed at CAT’s bus lot on East Gwinnett Street, ahead of the electric bus’s arrival. In addition, CAT acquired a mobile charging station so that the electric buses can be charged in remote locations, which will be useful during hurricane evacuations and other emergencies.
By deploying battery electric buses in place of existing diesel vehicles, CAT expects to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while also reducing lifetime vehicle costs.