Electric Buses

Blue transit bus passing in front of Santa Monica Pier entrance arch on a sunny day.

Santa Monica starts work on $56M electric bus project

Big Blue Bus plans to fully electrify its fleet by 2032.

April 13, 2026 - Santa Monica Next

Red San Diego trolley seen blurred against an old brick building in downtown San Diego, California.

San Diego Transit Awarded $60 Million for Trolley, Electric Buses

The funding will support the electrification of San Diego’s bus system and safety and efficiency enhancements on the Orange Line trolley.

March 30, 2026 - Times of San Diego

White and blue NJ Transit bus in front of Newark Penn Station in Newark, New Jersey.

Facing Federal Funding Freeze, NJ Transit Revises Zero-emission Plan

The agency is retooling a plan to modernize its aging bus depots after the Trump administration decided to freeze nearly $324 million in grants.

March 15, 2026 - NorthJersey.com

Silver and blue electric transit bus with "Electric Bus" green text moving at night in New Haven, Connecticut.

US Transit Fleets Have Bought Over 8,000 Zero-emission Buses

The number of zero-emission transit vehicles grew by 16 percent between 2024 and 2025.

March 12, 2026 - Metro

Blue transit bus stopped at outdoor station with covered platform in Madison, Wisconsin.

Madison’s Electric Buses Keep Running Through Brutal Freeze

A late January winter storm offered a key test for electric buses that often falter in cold temperatures.

February 27, 2026 - Grist

Blue clean-energy hybrid gas-electric bus in New York City.

USDOT Announces $2B in Grants for Transit Buses, Favoring Hybrids Over Electric Options

The new round of grants for buses and facility upgrades doesn’t include any for battery-electric buses, favoring instead diesel-electric hybrids and CNG buses.

November 26, 2025 - Eno Center for Transportation

Blue Metro Express BRT bus at covered station in Miami, Florida.

Miami to Launch America's First Fully Electric Bus Rapid Transit Line

The project, led by Miami-Dade County, will link Dadeland South to Florida City via a 20-mile dedicated lane.

October 15, 2025 - Miami Herald

Blue hybrid NYC city bus on street.

Transit Bus Costs Rise Sharply Due to Tariffs

The cost of a transit bus has gone up by 68 percent since 2021, in part because of recent tariffs on steel and aluminum.

August 4, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Blue Austin public transit bus with graphic reading "I ride to keep the city clean and earth happy."

Austin Tests Self-Driving Bus

Autonomous buses could improve bus yard operations for electric fleets, according to CapMetro.

June 23, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of white panel at top of school bus with "100% electric" black text.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation

California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

April 30, 2025 - California Air Resources Board

Close-up of open charging port with charging cable plugged in on yellow electric school bus.

Pittsburgh Rolls Out Electric School Buses

Pittsburgh Public Schools has launched its first electric school buses, with plans to fully electrify its fleet over the next 14 months, aiming to create a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system supported by new charging infrastructure.

March 31, 2025 - CBS Pittsburgh

Close-up of electric bus being charged with portable charger.

Zero-Emission Bus Fleets Grow, But Federal Funding Is in Jeopardy

Transit agencies around the country have purchased over 7,000 zero-emission buses, but a federal program that funds the shift could be eliminated under the new administration.

March 17, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of geometric green leaf logo and "Electric Cleaner Air for London" white text on side of red London bus.

London Launches Electric Buses

The new buses can charge at either end of their route in minutes without returning to garages for charging.

November 26, 2024 - BBC

Close-up of charging port on yellow electric school bus plugged in at charging station.

Opinion: Supporting Electric School Buses is the Right Thing to Do — and Fiscally Conservative

Why switching school bus fleets to electric vehicles is good for students, the environment, and school districts’ finances.

November 14, 2024 - Governing

Aerial view of Central de Abasto food wholesale market in Mexico City, Mexico.

Rooftop Solar on Mexico City Market to Power 300 Transit Buses

A solar project atop a massive food market will provide electricity to Mexico City's public transit buses.

October 7, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

Miami-Dade public transit bus.

Miami-Dade Building Electric Bus Operations Center

The 20-acre facility will help the county reach its goal of electrifying 20 percent of its bus fleet.

September 6, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Yellow electric school bus with preteen students exiting.

Oakland Electric School Buses Can Return Power to Grid

The district’s fully electric fleet features vehicle-to-grid technology that lets buses act as batteries when not in use.

September 4, 2024 - Grist

Aerial view of electric bus parked next to silver SUV in parking lot in Austin, Texas. Bus says "All eelctric buses" on side.

Austin Transit Agency Backs Down on Electric Bus Pledge

Technology problems, short ranges, and supply chain issues hinder Cap Metro’s ambitious electrification plan.

July 30, 2024 - KUT

Aerial view of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum entrance arch with name and Olympic rings.

LA is Electrifying its Bus Fleet, but Olympic Transit Challenges Remain

The region is preparing its transit system to handle the more than one million visitors expected during the 2028 Olympic Games.

July 25, 2024 - Mass Transit

Teal Detroit public bus

Michigan Transit Systems Awarded Federal Grants for Clean Vehicles

Federal grants are helping to ease the transition to electric and hybrid buses.

July 10, 2024 - Michigan Public Radio

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.