The San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) is reducing air pollution in Stockton by converting the city’s entire rapid-transit bus fleet to battery electric by 2025, making it one of the first transit districts in California to set such a goal.
To accomplish this, the San Joaquin RTD used vouchers from the Clean Truck and Bus Vouchers (HVIP) to purchase five battery electric Proterra buses. These buses will help make San Joaquin RTD’s Route 44, which passes through some of Stockton’s low-income neighborhoods, the nation’s first all-electric bus route.
“I appreciate RTD for placing [the electric bus fleet] in an area that deserves it,” Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs said. “I think oftentimes under-served parts of the community get the best things last. RTD is changing that by putting this historic route in South Stockton.”
The American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2019 report evaluated the number of high smog days, year-round pollution levels and the number of days with 24-hour spikes in pollution in various cities across the nation. The report found that Stockton exceeded pollution standards in all three categories.
Sometimes the air pollution severely impacts Stockton resident Sharon Gamble’s allergies. “Sometimes it knocks me down to a point where I can’t breathe,” she said. “It happens about every three or four months.”
Administered by the non-profit CALSTART, HVIP also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution.
“HVIP is driving early market success in California for clean vehicle technologies that are highly transferable to other applications,” said Tom Brotherton, Director of Market Acceleration for CALSTART. “This early market success translates into accelerating commercialization of clean vehicle technologies as well as lowered costs. California transit agencies, small businesses, and fleet owners and managers are benefiting from an economic perspective and our citizens are benefiting from an air quality and climate perspective,”
The switch to electric buses is also driving the creation of high quality jobs in new California industries. Currently, there are more than 50 companies in California involved in manufacturing electric commercial vehicles. Efforts to provide clean transportation options for Stockton residents not only help strengthen economic opportunities, but will also help residents breathe easier.