The road to greater sustainability and operating a more efficient vehicle fleet gets a boost this fall with the delivery of Charlotte Douglas International Airport’s first electric shuttle buses.
In 2019, the Aviation Department took the first step toward replacing its aging fleet of 70 diesel-powered buses with its decision to purchase electric buses, which are cleaner and more efficient to operate and provide a long-term operational cost savings.
Charlotte Douglas is committed to sustainability by pursuing fiscally responsible practices that minimize environmental impacts. The Airport has chosen to embrace and incorporate various sustainable approaches into its daily operations, moving the Airport toward a sustainable future. Sustainability initiatives at CLT have included the installation of solar panels, energy efficient systems, electric vehicle charging stations and the use of alternative fuel vehicles. Beginning in 2020, it will include electric buses transporting employees and passengers from remote parking facilities to the Airport terminal.
Proterra will deliver the first five electric buses to CLT this fall. After some time for training of drivers and maintenance crews, the 23-seat buses will hit the road. Proterra is a California-based company, but CLT’s buses are manufactured in Greenville, S.C., its Southeast transportation innovation hub and manufacturing facility.
Scott Kincaid, manager of fleet maintenance, said the first five buses will result in annual decrease of about 50,000 gallons of diesel fuel, saving an estimated $90,000. There are other savings as well. When it come emissions and global warming, replacing the diesel fleet with electric buses would have an annual impact equal to removing 2,900 cars from the city’s streets.
Over the next several years, the plan is to replace all 70 CLT diesel buses.
While the Aviation Department awaits delivery of the first five buses, plans are being readied to purchase the next five.
In August, the Charlotte City Council, which owns and operates the Airport, approved the purchase of five more buses and associated charging equipment following a competitive bidding process. Those buses and charging equipment will be supplied by New Flyer American. Inc., which is headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with manufacturing and test facilities located throughout the United States.