The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has rolled out an all-electric bus service on route 63 in South Side Chicago.
The agency’s 74th Street Garage in South Side is now also equipped to support the operation of these all-electric buses.
This launch marks the latest milestone in CTA’s Charging Forward plan, which will see it transition to a fully electric bus fleet by 2040.
CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. said:Improving bus services and connections for our most transit-dependent riders has been and remains a priority for me and our expansion of all-electric buses to serve Chicago’s Far South Side is part of this commitment. Ensuring equity, the environment and the communities we serve are at the heart of our Charging Forward Plan and we look forward to expanding the benefits of all-electric buses, especially to those communities that are disproportionately affected by air pollution, which are often those with low-income and minority populations.
Route 63 serves riders from Woodlawn to Chrysler Village and is now CTA’s second bus route to feature all-electric buses, following the earlier electrification of route 66.
In preparation for the all-electric service, all bus operators based out of the 74th Street Garage received training on the specific features and systems of the new Proterra 600-Series electric buses.
