Seneca Mayor welcomes New All-Electric CAT Bus with ride

On the first day of all-electric passenger service in the city, Seneca Mayor Dan Alexander enjoyed a ride around town on the new CAT Bus. “Today is a very significant day because Seneca did go all-electric with the CAT Buses and with that there are no emissions, there is no diesel fuel, so there are zero emissions.” The mayor described his ride with community members on their way to school and work. “The sun was coming up, it was a beautiful morning. As we were going people were getting on and then getting off in Clemson. As we came back, they were getting on the bus to actually come back to Seneca to work here.” The mayor rode along with Al Babinicz, CEO of Clemson Area Transit and learned about all the people in the tri-county area of Upstate South Carolina that are taking advantage of fare-free public transit. “Public transportation is really changing people’s lives. In this area, we never have had it, so we really have never been use to it. But, when you look at Clemson and the university there and everything it offers, public transportation this year will probably hit 2 million riders.” Thousands more people ride the buses in Seneca, adds Mayor Alexander. “Seneca is in its seventh year and every year ridership has gone up. This year, Seneca will hit 300,000 riders, so it has really done lots of good for this community.” The only change with the new all-electric CAT Buses operating in Seneca is the relocation of the downtown stop to the lower level of the park where the new fast charger for the buses has been installed.