Lake Tahoe to get more low-emission buses with new federal funding

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A multi-agency partnership continues to improve transit solutions around the Lake Tahoe Basin and the inaugural year of service for the Proterra electric bus fleet was recently celebrated.

People from many of those partners gathered at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) to celebrate the charging stations on campus as the announcement was made of new lower-emission buses coming to the lake. Liberty Utilities, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, LTCC, Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) were all on hand along with others.

FTA Deputy Regional Administrator Amy Changchien was at LTCC to announce a $3.4 million grant was heading to TTD to replace four of its aging buses. They won't be all electric, but they also won't be all diesel as the new vehicles will be low-emission hybrids.

There are still challenges in getting the growing number of tourists out of their cars and onto busses, as well as local drivers. The more people on buses the lower emissions, the lower amounts of particulates in the air, thus helping to reduce global warming.

At the LTCC gathering, participants realized they need to help people create change by taking trips on the bus and other non-automobile modes of transportation.

The grants headed to Tahoe and other communities include funds for training a needed workforce to both drive and maintain a bus fleet. South Lake Tahoe's buses have faced these challenges, though, with no-cost bus rides many want to use the bus but cannot rely on service at all times. Students at LTCC take advantage of the service that takes them right to the front door of campus.

Student Geego Ocampo said he rides the bus about two times a week to save on gas. He also highlighted the benefits of riding which helps not only students but also the community and senior citizens. Geego said riding the bus saves about 20 pounds of CO2 emissions a day.

Changchien said there are approximately 60,000 buses on the streets of America, and there are currently 130 transportation projects in 46 states and territories through $3.34 billion in clean transportation funding.

Mottos wrapped on the Lake Tahoe fleet are community-focused with environmental messaging.

TTD District Manager Carl Hasty said transportation hubs like the one at LTCC are needed around the lake to make buses successful as part of a regional plan. There is a planned hub in Incline Village that has faced local challenges (the next Incline hub public meeting will be on August 14), and a hub in Tahoe City. The hubs are gathering places as well as places for different modes of transportation.