Arvin to get three electric buses as it aims to improve air quality

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Arvin unveiled the plan to help improve its air quality at a news conference Friday.

The first part of the city’s plan to reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases involves three electric bus.

An electric bus came down from Napa to show off the new technology the city will have in the future.

Arvin received a $2.29 million grant from the Federal Transit Authority to purchase the buses.

Hesham Elshavly, Arvin’s transportation manager, said the city will get the new buses in September 2019.

The buses will replace three diesel buses, which emit high levels of particulate matter.

“It’s no secret Arvin’s air quality ranks among the poorest in the nation,” José Gurrola, mayor of Arvin said. “What this is going to do is take three diesel-powered vehicles for our transit agency off of the roads and replace it with 100-percent electric – battery electric – vehicles and help reduce the carbon emissions and greenhouse gases and improve the air quality here in the city of Arvin and throughout the valley.”

The city adopted a goal to switch its entire fleet of vehicles to electric by 2025, five years earlier than mandated by the state, Gurrola said.

Arvin is taking a three-prong approach to improving its air quality, Christine Vitarelli, grant writer for the city, said.

“I think that there’s no denying it anymore. You look up to the sky and you see the quality of the air here and it’s just so obvious that something needs to be done,” Vitarelli said. “The answer for us is not just one modality, but multiple we’re going to be planting trees, installing electric charging stations, converting our fleet to electric and doing as much as possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The city will start planting trees around the community on Nov. 25.