Update on Electric Buses arrival in Seneca

The project to bring the country’s first all-electric bus fleet to the City of Seneca has it a few snags but officials still expect the buses to arrive this year.  Seneca Mayor Dan Alexander gives details.  “We are hoping toward the end of the year that the electric buses will be rolling into Seneca.  Everything is still moving forward with a bunch of paperwork that is still being signed and sent.  We are working with the DOT and the federal government.  That was major grant that came to Seneca and we are still working through all that, but the buses should be built toward August or September.  We have to get all the chargers in and all that too, so it is coming together.  We were hoping March or April that it would be operational but it just didn’t work that way.” The Federal Transit Administration awarded $4.1 million to the City of Seneca in the form of a Transit Investments in Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction or TIGGER grant.  Proterra, the leading maker of zero-emission commercial transit solutions, was named by Seneca as the manufacturer to build the city’s next generation of transit buses. These 35-foot, fast charge battery electric buses could have an impact on Norton-Thompson Park in downtown Seneca, says Mayor Alexander.  “As we move forward in this year with the electric buses coming, there will be some things that are going to sort of shift.  We will have to put some super chargers there or they may actually be in a different location, so we will still be using that area there at the park, but some things will probably change as this year goes on.” The all-electric buses are being built locally by Proterra in Greenville and Clemson Area Transit will still operate the bus fleet for the City of Seneca.  Mayor Alexander said the city plans to hold an unveiling ceremony and cut the ribbon on the new buses once they arrive.