Coming Soon to Austin: More Electric Buses, Two New High-Frequency Lines

The board of Austin's Capital Metro has "approved the purchase of almost 200 battery-powered buses" and announced the groundbreaking of " two new high-frequency bus lines in the coming months," as reported by Nathan Bernier. "The board voted unanimously Monday to spend $255 million on 197 electric buses from two different companies, paving the way for the transit authority's gradual transition to an all-electric fleet." Adding to the twelve electric buses already operating on Austin's streets, the new purchase will bring the agency closer to its goal of replacing all of its more than 350 buses with battery-powered vehicles by 2035. 

"Capital Metro is conducting an analysis to compare the lifetime costs of electric buses to diesel buses," but, according to Capital Metro's Director of Vehicle Maintenance Andrew Murphy, "in the end, the electric buses should cost less" due to lower fuel and maintenance costs. "From a rider's perspective, electric buses are quieter, emit less heat and don't blast diesel exhaust in your face at the bus stop. They also provide smoother rides. They have a lower center of gravity and single-gear transmission, so the buses don't jerk as much as diesel buses when the driver shifts gears to accelerate."

Meanwhile, the $44.6 million Expo Center MetroRapid Line, which will run from the Travis County Expo Center to UT Austin and downtown, will begin construction in December. In January, Metro plans to begin construction on the Pleasant Valley Line, "connecting the Mueller development to the Goodnight Ranch neighborhood on Slaughter Lane." The new lines are slated to begin service in mid-2023.

"Bus shelters along the Expo and Pleasant Valley lines are expected to have electronic screens showing when the next buses arrive, along with other information. Cap Metro says each stop will have ticket vending machines and the potential for things like public art and trees."

The projects are funded through the "$7.1 billion Project Connect proposal authorized by voters in November in exchange for a property tax rate increase of 8.75 cents per $100 of property value."