Electric Evolution: Pace Suburban Bus Launches First of 700 Zero-Emission Buses, Aiming for Full Fleet Conversion by 2040

January 20, 2024
1 min read
Pace’s Inaugural Electric Bus Enters Service
Pace’s Inaugural Electric Bus Enters Service. Image Source: Pace Bus

With the introduction of its first battery-electric bus, Pace Suburban Bus, a prominent public transportation provider in the Chicago suburbs, has signaled a significant advancement in sustainable transit. This ceremony, which was announced by Illinois State Senator Bill Cunningham, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, and other dignitaries, marks a significant advancement in Pace’s dedication to environmental innovation and sustainability.

On Route 381, 95th Street, the brand-new, cutting-edge Gillig electric bus is now in service. It provides a crucial connection between the CTA Red Line and Moraine Valley College, as well as between Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Bridgeview, Hickory Hills, and Palos Hills. It is an important link in the southwest suburbs. Pace’s “Project Zero” project, which intends to convert its whole fleet, includes this launch of over 700 buses to zero-emission vehicles by 2040.

Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski emphasized the significance of this achievement for their Project Zero program, highlighting the order of 22 additional electric buses that will be financed by the federal government. Senator Dick Durbin of the United States acknowledged Pace’s contribution to expanding public discourse on environmental responsibility and public transit, while applauding the company’s leadership in adopting renewable energy. Melinda Metzger, the executive director of Pace, emphasized the new electric bus’s advantages for riders, bus drivers, and the environment, seeing it as a turning point in Pace’s development of sustainable transportation solutions.


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Transit companies such as Pace are following the global trend of ecologically conscious public transportation by implementing electric buses. With a predicted Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.95% and a projected value of USD 50.14 billion by 2030, the electric bus market is expanding rapidly. The development of charging infrastructure, government policies supporting electric vehicles, and technological breakthroughs in battery and electric drivetrain systems are some of the causes driving this increase.

Solaris, BYD, Volvo Buses, Zhongtong Bus, Irizar, Proterra, Alexander Dennis Limited, and Yutong are some of the leading producers of electric buses. These businesses are renowned for their inventiveness and dedication to environmentally friendly transportation options. The use of electric buses is predicted to increase both domestically and internationally as technology develops and becomes more affordable.

Pace’s switch to electric buses is indicative of a larger movement in the public transportation sector toward innovation and sustainability. This action aims to rethink the role of public transportation in encouraging environmental responsibility and lowering carbon footprints in addition to using new technology. Public transportation appears to be heading toward an increasingly electric and environmentally conscientious future as more transit agencies choose to follow Pace’s example.

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