LUBBOCK, TEXAS – Citibus, alongside the City of Lubbock and Proterra, Inc., unveiled two fully electric buses at a Wednesday morning press conference.

Citibus purchased the pollution-reducing vehicles with funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s “Low or No-Emission Program.” Citibus received $1.75 million in grants and plans to reapply for more later in the year to purchase six more electric buses.

“They had enough faith in our technology to put the new buses on a route that had been run on by all these years by a diesel bus and replacing it with a battery electric bus,” said Dale Hill, the founder of Proterra.

The new buses, along with charging stations, were delivered from Proterra’s manufacturing plant in California in late spring. Before entering the current fleet, Citibus said they plan to test pilot circular routes on the campus of Texas Tech.

“As we become more comfotable with them and get more data, as well as get more drivers trained, we’re going to start spreading these routes throughout the city,” said Citibus General Manager Chris Mandrell.

The public, along with Lubbock city council members, got a chance to get a first look and take a ride on the buses before their deployment. Lubbock joins as the fifth Texas city to introduce electric buses.

Mandrell says that full service for the Lubbock area is anticipated to begin in three to six months.