Edging ever closer to sustainable public transportation, the Quad Cities' MetroLINK recently opted to invest in two 40-foot Proterra XR electric buses with possible fleet expansion in the next four years, Moline officials said.
"The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is proud to be a partner in sustainable transit options throughout the Quad Cities,” Beth McCluskey, who directs IDOT’s Office of Intermodal Project implementation, said. “We look forward to growing service throughout Illinois to improve the quality of life and make our state an even better place to raise a family, work and do business."
Proterra, designing and manufacturing innovative zero-emission public transportation vehicles, has sold over 312 vehicles to 35 municipal, academic and commercial transit agencies across North America to date. The California-based company operates facilities in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and South Carolina.
Illinois Public Transit Association Executive Director Laura Calderon said many Midwestern transit agencies, commercial organizations and municipalities are adopting battery-electric combination vehicles to lower emissions and pave the way to “sustainable urban ecosystems."
"We hope that sustainability will … continue to influence transit operators' decision-making in the future," Calderon said.
Illinois’ MetroLink transit organization provides 3.5 million public transit rides annually via its Metro bus route, "Channel Cat” water taxis and ADA paratransit services, connecting consumers and workers to jobs, retail, health care and education.
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