L/R: CAO Rick Kester, Bus Driver Shawn Brewer, Councillor Boyce and Manager/Planner of Transit Services Matt Coffey. (Photo: City of Belleville, submitted)
City of Belleville residents may have noticed an unfamiliar bus circulating throughout the city during the past few days, with the tag line ‘The Official Sponsor of Mother Nature’ emblazoned on the side.
The city has been given the bus as a demo for a week’s time by a manufacturer – one of which the city has been researching and discussing electric bus options.
“This model is one of several we are looking at from different companies,” said Councillor Egerton Boyce. “The progress being made in these areas is huge and it’s exciting to be finding options which are efficient, economical and environmentally positive.”
The BYD bus being tested by Belleville Transit is 100% emission free and takes approximately two hours to charge. Once fully charged it can travel for approximately 300 kilometres.
“It’s important to look ahead and determine actions the city can take now, which will help to align us with progressive plans we need to implement, perhaps not today, but within the next few years,” Councillor and Transit Committee Chair Jack Miller added.
Manager and Planner of Transit Services Matt Coffey encouraged the Belleville Transit drivers to test drive the bus and provide feedback on their experience.
