PA Doubles Electric Bus Fleet

By SHANEL THOMPSON

The New York and New Jersey Port Authority on Thursday doubled the number of electric shuttle bus fleets at Airports, becoming the largest all- Electric fleet on the East Coast. 

In 2018, the Port Authority became the first public transportation agency to embrace the Paris Climate Accords and pledged to take steps to reduce greenhouse emissions. Two years later , the Agency now owns and operates 36 buses and 19 chargers and is fully operational three months ahead of schedule. 

“The Port Authority is taking aggressive steps to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by investing in a green bus fleet,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “By converting our airport shuttle buses from dirty diesel fuel to clean, battery-operated engines, we’ll be reducing air and noise pollution in the areas around our airports to better serve our customers, employees and the surrounding communities.”

PA officials said that the 36 battery-operated buses are projected to save a combined total of about 1,600 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and about 240,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year. In addition, the 40-foot zero emissions buses will improve local air quality by eliminating the emissions of approximately 12,000 pounds of nitrous oxide and 900 pounds of particulate matter annually.

“Cleaner air and less noise pollution mean a better customer experience,” added Aviation Director Huntley Lawrence. “We’re dedicated to using the best available technology across our airports to advance the agency’s sustainability initiatives and air quality improvements in our host communities,”

During Climate Week 2020 in September, the Port Authority announced one of the most ambitious clean construction programs  in the U.S. that will cut emissions from construction across all facility projects.