Southern California’s Foothill Transit recently announced a partnership with the City of Duarte, Calif., to operate the city’s two local bus lines and convert its fleet to zero-emission, all-electric buses.
Foothill Transit and the City of Duarte, located in Los Angeles County, plan to launch the new service, named duartEbus, on April 1. The newly liveried, three-bus fleet will be charged, operated and maintained out of Foothill Transit’s Arcadia Operations Yard.
Foothill Transit’s electric bus integration began in 2010 when it adopted three Proterra all-electric buses on the 16.1-mile Line 291 between the cities of Pomona and La Verne. Line 291 then became the first all-electric fast-charge bus line in the nation in 2014, says Foothill Transit, whose 373-bus fleet is almost 10% electric. Foothill Transit has committed to going all-electric by 2030.
“This partnership is transformative for both Duarte and for Foothill Transit,” says Doran Barnes, executive director of Foothill Transit. “Building a more sustainable community requires more sustainable transportation options. Our anticipation and expectation is high, and we look forward to serving our Duarte neighbors.”
According to Foothill Transit, the deployment of this new electric bus fleet will make the City of Duarte the first all-electric city system in Southern California.