The Wichita City Council has approved a grant application with the Federal Transit Administration to purchase 24 electric buses.
Wichita Transit Director Mike Tann said the buses would replace 24 gasoline buses that are beyond their prescribed useful life of six years. He said the gasoline buses have operated over 700,000 miles a year, burning more than 92,000 gallons of gasoline and emitting over 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide into the air. Tann said the electric buses would have a low floor for easy access, they will reduce costs and energy consumption. They will also reduce harmful emissions and improve the environmental impacts with air and noise. He said they will provide a quieter, safer and cleaner experience for users and non-users of public transportation
The buses will be used for paratransit services for people who have special needs or are wheelchair-bound. The city is applying for an FTA grant of $7.7 million to fund 90 percent of the purchasing cost of 24 buses and 12 chargers.
[ image: Wichita Transit ]
