CTA

CTA purchases over 20 new electric buses, nearly doubling electric fleet

A fully electric Chicago Transit Authority bus pulls up to a charging station at Navy Pier on Feb. 22, 2022. A new CTA plan details the agency's future conversion to all electric buses, including the estimated cost, timeline, and that the agency will focus on equity in converting to electric, prioritizing routes on the South and West sides. CTA currently runs 11 electric buses, all on the #66 Chicago Avenue route. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Continuing an effort to transition to an all-electric bus fleet by 2040, the Chicago Transit Authority announced Friday that 22 new electric buses were purchased, nearly doubling the agency's electric fleet.

The CTA authorized exercising the contract option for the additional 40-foot buses, which are valued at $26.2 million.

Originally, 23 buses were purchased as a base order under a contract with manufacturer Proterra in 2018, which included an option to purchase as many as 25 additional buses.

According to the CTA, the agency is using a mix of funds from a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant along with RTA funds to bring the total size of the CTA's electric bus fleet to 47.

Buses from this option order will begin arriving in early 2025, according to the CTA.

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