On May 23, 2017, the city of St. Albert celebrated the arrival of three long-range, battery-powered electric buses. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Brian Mason, Mayor Nolan Crouse, Members of St. Albert City Council, Spruce Grove-St Albert MLA Trevor Horne and other dignitaries unveiled the buses during a ceremony at Servus Credit Union Place in St. Albert.
“I want to commend the city of St. Albert for being the first city in the country to incorporate electric buses as part of its regular transit fleet,” said Alberta Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure, Brian Mason. “I am proud that our government is actively supporting a better way forward for public transportation here in St. Albert, in cities and in rural communities across the province. This is a priority that will improve the environment, provide an affordable and efficient transportation option and will help make lives better for Albertans.”
The three 35-foot electric buses will operate on both local and commuter transit routes, produce zero emissions and make the transit system cleaner and quieter for St. Albert residents compared to diesel buses. In addition, they can run for extended periods of time, making multiple trips without needing to be recharged. Built by BYD Coach & Bus Ltd., they come slightly smaller than the 40-foot buses in the current fleet, making them easier to maneuver in busy neighborhoods. Aligning with St. Albert’s Smart City initiatives, the buses use new smart technology to manage the various bus and charging systems.
“We are proud to be the first city in Canada to introduce electric buses into our transit fleet,” said Mayor Nolan Crouse. “Reducing our carbon footprint and minimizing the impact on the environment are a couple of the reasons for this purchase.”
The city of St. Albert purchased the electric transit buses in February 2016 with an approximate cost of $970,000 each. Two-thirds of the funding for the buses came from the Government of Alberta's GreenTRIP program to promote investment in Alberta's transit industry. The total cost of the three electric buses and necessary infrastructure is $3.1 million, with $2.1 million funded through GreenTRIP and approximately $1.0 million from the city of St. Albert’s provincial Municipal Sustainability Initiative grants.
Before purchasing the buses, St. Albert Transit ran two trials in 2014 and 2015. Following the second bus trial, City Administration compiled and analyzed the results and recommended the purchase of several electric buses to add to the transit fleet.
“BYD is thrilled to have our first buses delivered and in operation here in the city of St. Albert! I would like to commend them for not only leading Canadian Transit as the first property to place an order for battery electric buses, but also their dedication to remain the leader having just place their second order for more buses last month,” BYD Canada Vice President Ted Dowling said.
